If It hadn’t been for Mamie
Miller, our Buds and Blossoms
columnist, we never would have
met Lucy Zambrana, a viva
cious visitor from Santa Isabel,
Puerto Rica.
‘‘You’ve simply got to know
her,” Mamie insisted, ‘‘she’s
the sweetest and cutest person
I’ve ever seen.” Minutes after
an introduction to the 28 year
old brunette, we shared
Mamie’s enthusiasm.
Although we didn’t get to
meet Lucy’s 29 year old hus
band, Carlos Juan, Mamie says
he is equally charming. The two
have been In New Bern while
Carlos, who will hold a re
sponsible position wlthSagner’s
new operation In Puerto Rica,
has been observing the Fred
erick Tailoring plant here.
He attended the University of
Puerto Rica for four years,
followed by a year’s study at
the Fashion Technology College
In New York City. Among the
way he was statipned In England
with the U. S. Air Force.
Lucy went to England too. She
couldn’t speak English—or very
little of It—and didn’t know a
soul there. Calling on her neigh
bors, most of them service
wives—she smiled her won
derful smile and said, “I’m new
and I’m lonesome,”
They welcomed her—and you
would too if you were privileged
to meet her. In return, she
volunteered to take care of
their babies. Incidentally, she
has two youngsters of her own—
Yvette ( a daughter) who is 7,
and Carlltos ( a son) who Is 2.
They have been stajdng with a
grandmother while Carlos and
Lucy had to be In the United
States.
Lucy was quick to remind us
that Puerto Rica is a possession
of the United States, and that
she Is an American. “We give
the pledge of allegiance to the
flag In school each morning,”
she said proudly. And, she In
formed us, pupils sing
“America” and “America, the
Beautiful.”
She fell In love with New Bern
during her stay here, and said
everyone without exception was
kind to her. Fortunately, Mamie
was her next door neighbor, and
they became very close friends.
Mamie was astounded, as we
were, by Lucy’s complete
mastering of the English
language.
She has a pronounced accent,
but sounded a lot like the
average New Bernlan would put
it when she exclaimed “Oh,
my gosh!” at one point during
a decidedly pleasant Interview.
Her grammar was flawless, and
her vocabulary large.
Lucy told us she was par
ticularly Impressed with the
rivers here.“You’resurround
ed by water,” she said, and It
was clear she thought this was
an Ideal geographical situation.
Obviously, her sparkling black
eyes appreciated the Neuse and
Trent that too many of us take
for granted.
And she was even more en
thusiastic about Atlantic Beach.
“It’s the prettiest beach I’ve
ever seen,” she Insisted. When
last we saw her, she and Carlos
w ;re planning to have another
ouilng there.
According to Mamie, Lucy is
an excellent cook who enjoys
preparing a wide variety of
highly-s e a s o n e d, unusual
dishes. And what would you say
(Continued on Page 8)
^exo.
Public
The NEW BERN
'WEEKLY
- -
EAS.-
CAROi..*
5^ Per Copy
j
VOLUME 6
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1963
NUMBER 22
WHENEVER AUTUMN COMES—With the exception by the middle of November. The thud of toe against
of a number of new faces among the smiling cheer- Pigskin . . . the band’s performance . . . the referee’s
leaders, this 1962 scene at New Bern High School Sta- whistle . . . the crowd’s roar, they’re all part and parcel
dium will be duplicated on a half dozen Friday nights of a mad malady diagnosed as football fever.
AND HERE’S THE REASON—You can catch the di
sease referred to above before you know it, especially
on a frosty night when things like this are happening
at the NBHS Stadium. Action pictured was ini the New
Bern-Roanoke Rapids game. More common than the
common cold, football fever is accompanied by cheers
of jov and groans of disappointment. It takes three
months to run its course.
I'l
»
i/
h