Monday July 14 1952
Ted was down at the house.
Tuesday July 15, 1952
Caroline and Linda were over today, also Mary Alice tonight.
Wednesday July 16, 1952
Got a job today as a Comptometer Operator over at Baker’s and Confectioner’s Supplies in Los Angeles. Starts at $200.00 a month, 8:30-5:30, 1 hour for lunch. I start my new job tomorrow.
Friday July 18, 1952
Bill took me out tonight to a drive in movie. Boy I sure feel like breaking up, he says so many things, he’ll be good, he’ll be this and that and he just keeps on nevertheless. He tried his damn-dest to fool around tonight but I wouldn’t let him and that is the most aggravating thing is when a guy keeps on trying to paw you and keeps on. He’s no good for me, I don’t think it’s going to last very much longer us going together, I hardly want it to when he’s like that.
Saturday July 19, 1952
Went to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium tonight on a double date with Mary Alice and Joe, and me and The Lover. Then we went up to The Stomp and the guys drank beer while we watched. Got mad at Bill and walked home, but he followed me and stayed out in the driveway for two hours thinking I’d come out, well hmmphh I just went to bed and went to sleep. Hate the damn ass.
Sunday July 20, 1952
Bill came over today and made up with me, wish to hell I could get rid of him, he always turns up like a bad penny. Took me to the beach and he wants me to take him back, and old softy me I said “uh huh”. Can’t stand him, wish he’d wake up all right.
Monday July 21, 1952
Cecil and a bunch of guys in a lush Mercury came down tonight and asked me to go to a party with them, but I told them I was going steady. Anyhow Mom said I couldn’t go because she wants me to hold on to this job and I have to act bright and get the sleep I should.
Boy got woke up at 5:00am this morning and thought it was the end of the world! Man, I really got shook up with that earthquake, I got hold of my sister June and wouldn’t let go and I was praying like crazy! Oh man.
Tuesday July 22, 1952
Virginia came over today but I was at work, she broke up with Floyd I hear. She wants me to call her tomorrow night. Also Doug and a friend of his came down in their green 1950 Ford tonight. They’re pretty nice.
Wednesday July 23, 1952
Bill came down today and picked me up from work. Well, I guess he’s all right.
Thursday July 24, 1952
Worked hard today as usual. Billie Jean called me today at work, she expects her baby around the 10th of August.
Friday July 25, 1952
Bill came down tonight with a buddy of his and he sure is cute. His name is Bill too and is from Brooklyn, NY. Boy I wouldn’t mind switching Bills, what a fine guy he is but I don’t stand a chance with him, so I guess I’ll stick to the original Bill.
Ted was down at the house.
Tuesday July 15, 1952
Caroline and Linda were over today, also Mary Alice tonight.
Wednesday July 16, 1952
Got a job today as a Comptometer Operator over at Baker’s and Confectioner’s Supplies in Los Angeles. Starts at $200.00 a month, 8:30-5:30, 1 hour for lunch. I start my new job tomorrow.
Friday July 18, 1952
Bill took me out tonight to a drive in movie. Boy I sure feel like breaking up, he says so many things, he’ll be good, he’ll be this and that and he just keeps on nevertheless. He tried his damn-dest to fool around tonight but I wouldn’t let him and that is the most aggravating thing is when a guy keeps on trying to paw you and keeps on. He’s no good for me, I don’t think it’s going to last very much longer us going together, I hardly want it to when he’s like that.
Saturday July 19, 1952
Went to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium tonight on a double date with Mary Alice and Joe, and me and The Lover. Then we went up to The Stomp and the guys drank beer while we watched. Got mad at Bill and walked home, but he followed me and stayed out in the driveway for two hours thinking I’d come out, well hmmphh I just went to bed and went to sleep. Hate the damn ass.
Sunday July 20, 1952
Bill came over today and made up with me, wish to hell I could get rid of him, he always turns up like a bad penny. Took me to the beach and he wants me to take him back, and old softy me I said “uh huh”. Can’t stand him, wish he’d wake up all right.
Monday July 21, 1952
Cecil and a bunch of guys in a lush Mercury came down tonight and asked me to go to a party with them, but I told them I was going steady. Anyhow Mom said I couldn’t go because she wants me to hold on to this job and I have to act bright and get the sleep I should.
Boy got woke up at 5:00am this morning and thought it was the end of the world! Man, I really got shook up with that earthquake, I got hold of my sister June and wouldn’t let go and I was praying like crazy! Oh man.
Tuesday July 22, 1952
Virginia came over today but I was at work, she broke up with Floyd I hear. She wants me to call her tomorrow night. Also Doug and a friend of his came down in their green 1950 Ford tonight. They’re pretty nice.
Wednesday July 23, 1952
Bill came down today and picked me up from work. Well, I guess he’s all right.
Thursday July 24, 1952
Worked hard today as usual. Billie Jean called me today at work, she expects her baby around the 10th of August.
Friday July 25, 1952
Bill came down tonight with a buddy of his and he sure is cute. His name is Bill too and is from Brooklyn, NY. Boy I wouldn’t mind switching Bills, what a fine guy he is but I don’t stand a chance with him, so I guess I’ll stick to the original Bill.
Vilma daydreams under the Sixth Street Bridge
As Vilma, the 1950’s girl about town, starts her new Comptometer Operator gig, she commutes westbound into Los Angeles from her hometown of El Monte and arrives at Allied Baker’s and Confectioner’s Supplies warehouse in L.A. The business is located exactly where Whittier Blvd. turns from street to bridge.
As Vilma, the 1950’s girl about town, starts her new Comptometer Operator gig, she commutes westbound into Los Angeles from her hometown of El Monte and arrives at Allied Baker’s and Confectioner’s Supplies warehouse in L.A. The business is located exactly where Whittier Blvd. turns from street to bridge.
The former site of Bakers & Confectioners. The light grey building with a bluish hue, now abandoned, is used for Hollywood movie shoots.
At this juncture a variety of warehouses, big and small, live beneath the shadows of the Sixth Street Bridge. In front of Vilma is the looming skyline of DTLA, just behind her is the East LA residential neighborhood of Boyle Heights.
The art deco style bridge built in 1932 crosses over the L.A. River and transitions into 6th St., which leads directly into the heart of downtown.
It is here where she starts the first day of her new job in the Accounting Department as a Comp Girl. 8:30-5:30, with a 1 hour lunch. As a Comptometer Operator it was her job to keep the books in order, using the Comptometer machine to manually calculate hundreds of financial transactions. The clickety- clack clickety- clack of the machine was mundane, lifeless and boring.
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A rare peek inside, perhaps one of the windows Vilma daydreamed from. Imagine the daydreams flashing through the mind of young Vilma while the lull of the Comptometer machines clack on, the sounds of delivery trucks march on and the scents of flour and sugar swirl softly through the air…
Clickety clack…clickety clack…clickety clack…
8:30am- Whew, so glad I made it on time. Remember, Mom says I’ve got to act bright and keep this job. This is my second time working as a Comp Girl, and boy do I hate it, doing the same thing over and over again. It’s going to drive me crazy! I suppose it’s worth the $200 though.
9:00am- I love looking out these warehouse windows at that beautiful bridge, it’s so close I can reach out and touch it. Wish I could throw Bill off of it.
10:00am- That earthquake was really very terrifying, glad I still share my bedroom with my sister June. Don’t know what I would have done without her there to grab onto. Just heard it killed 12 people, epicenter was in Tehachapi and it was 7.7 magnitude. One of the biggest earthquakes we have ever had. Saw a picture in the paper today and it created a big deep fissure in the earth for miles long. Wish I could throw Bill down it.
Clickety clack…clickety clack…clickety clack…
8:30am- Whew, so glad I made it on time. Remember, Mom says I’ve got to act bright and keep this job. This is my second time working as a Comp Girl, and boy do I hate it, doing the same thing over and over again. It’s going to drive me crazy! I suppose it’s worth the $200 though.
9:00am- I love looking out these warehouse windows at that beautiful bridge, it’s so close I can reach out and touch it. Wish I could throw Bill off of it.
10:00am- That earthquake was really very terrifying, glad I still share my bedroom with my sister June. Don’t know what I would have done without her there to grab onto. Just heard it killed 12 people, epicenter was in Tehachapi and it was 7.7 magnitude. One of the biggest earthquakes we have ever had. Saw a picture in the paper today and it created a big deep fissure in the earth for miles long. Wish I could throw Bill down it.
 A vertical fracture on the northeast side of Bear Mountain, along the White Wolf Fault. |  July 21, 1952 |
11:00am- Watching the delivery trucks get loaded up with supplies, bags of flour and sugar, baking pans of every sort, they’re just roaring over that bridge with deliveries into the big city. Wish I could tie Bill up in one of those big flour bags and send him packing.
12:00pm- Lunchtime: The bridge heads directly down 6th street, so in just a few short minutes I can be in downtown Los Angeles. I'll head over to Clifton’s Cafeteria on 6th and Broadway for some homestyle turkey and stuffing. They’re famous for their 365 days a year Turkey Dinners you know, and since I haven’t earned my first paycheck, Mr. Clinton says I can always “Pay what I Wish”. I'll call Bill and see if he can meet me for lunch.
12:00pm- Lunchtime: The bridge heads directly down 6th street, so in just a few short minutes I can be in downtown Los Angeles. I'll head over to Clifton’s Cafeteria on 6th and Broadway for some homestyle turkey and stuffing. They’re famous for their 365 days a year Turkey Dinners you know, and since I haven’t earned my first paycheck, Mr. Clinton says I can always “Pay what I Wish”. I'll call Bill and see if he can meet me for lunch.
12:15pm- Well took the bus across the bridge, now I’m here eating at Clifton’s. It’s one of my favorite places to come, it’s just like eating in a Redwood Forest! I’m sitting under the big mural that depicts a night-time forest with a big lighted moon with an owl overlooking me as I dine. Went to the little chapel on the second floor with the big neon cross on it. In the chapel I can press a button to hear the poem “Parable of the Redwoods”. I even said a little prayer for the people who died in the earthquake. Bill couldn’t make it on such short notice, but said he will pick me up tonight after work. I guess I won’t throw him off the bridge after all.
 Vilma the Camera Girl and her guy pal under the neon cross. |  The Chapel as it stands today, sans the bold neon cross. It was supposedly broken during the renovation. |
12:30pm- Billie Jean and I used to come here to Clifton’s when we were about 12 years old. That wasn’t too long ago, I’m almost 18 years old now, and those were simpler days for sure. We saved up our babysitting money every month and made a big adventure out of it, just the two of us. We would take the P & E Railway from the El Monte station, ride into downtown all on our own, hit the five and dime stores to shop, then have lunch at Clifton’s. It was a big day and boy it was a real treat. I still can’t believe she got pregnant by Donnie that Jerk of ’52. If I’m not careful Bill will put me in the same boat, on guard Vilma!
Those arches.
1:00 pm- Took the bridge back over to the warehouse district to come back to hell, errghh I mean work. As I gazed out the window on the bus ride back I really got a good look at the bridge. It has such beautiful arches, the afternoon sun cast a warm glow on them and I can see all the design work. It would be a shame if this bridge ever came down, but the only thing that would ever take it down would be an earthquake I suppose.
2:00pm- I’ve decided to kill Bill, it would be quite easy you know. I can tinker with the brakes on his 52’ Mercury and when he drives over that bridge to pick me up he won’t be able to stop....well you know the rest. Oh damn it! How else am I going to get rid of him? I’ll have to make a really good confession of course.
Clickety clack…clickety clack…clickety clack…
4:00pm- Phoo-ey! They can train a monkey to do this! This is just too much, my brain hurts already. Maybe I’ll go work at Clifton’s one day, I can serve up food, bus tables, be a cashier, or heck maybe I can be one of those pretty Camera Girls who get all dolled up in those cute outfits. Now that’s a real job, taking souvenir photos of all kinds of folks, not to mention the handsome men! Oh boy, I can only dream!
5:30pm- Quitting time! Bill is here, and does he look double fine. Says he wants to take me to dinner, so I guess he can live for now. But he better be good like he said he was going to be. Told him “Now darling be extra extra careful when we ride that beautiful bridge home”…
2:00pm- I’ve decided to kill Bill, it would be quite easy you know. I can tinker with the brakes on his 52’ Mercury and when he drives over that bridge to pick me up he won’t be able to stop....well you know the rest. Oh damn it! How else am I going to get rid of him? I’ll have to make a really good confession of course.
Clickety clack…clickety clack…clickety clack…
4:00pm- Phoo-ey! They can train a monkey to do this! This is just too much, my brain hurts already. Maybe I’ll go work at Clifton’s one day, I can serve up food, bus tables, be a cashier, or heck maybe I can be one of those pretty Camera Girls who get all dolled up in those cute outfits. Now that’s a real job, taking souvenir photos of all kinds of folks, not to mention the handsome men! Oh boy, I can only dream!
5:30pm- Quitting time! Bill is here, and does he look double fine. Says he wants to take me to dinner, so I guess he can live for now. But he better be good like he said he was going to be. Told him “Now darling be extra extra careful when we ride that beautiful bridge home”…
She stood in her regal glory since 1932, ironically an earthquake did not do her in. The city is in the process of demolishing the bridge due to its structural integrity, and a new one will rise in its place.
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