Brambleby Bear

Chapter 5
Brambleby Bear Arrives in New York

Once in the station, its size was a shock;
he walked for a while, then he found the big clock.
His nails click-click-clicked as he walked on the floor.
He had never felt flooring like this floor before!
The Tennessee marble so shiny, so nice,
felt like Moose Lake when it turned into ice.
He gazed at the ceiling and saw it was spread
with painted gold stars that gleamed high overhead.
Brambleby Bear was in Vanderbilt Hall;
chandeliers’ light shone on every stone wall.
Two very large staircases curved up so high,
that Brambleby thought they led up to the sky.
He selected the left-hand-side staircase to climb
and got to the top, but that took a long time.
He thought, To go down, I think I will slide!
And in seconds came down on a banister ride.
And then with a leap and a rush and a pounce,
he was outside the station with one final bounce.

He was on Forty-Second, a street so renowned!
Spectacular buildings right here could be found.
One glittering building this bear had passed by
had a stainless-steel, needle-point spire in the sky.
Thousands of people rushed by with a whirr,
and ahead, streams of people merged into a blur.
Brambleby Bear really picked up his pace,
from a walk to a run to what looked like a race.

But when he approached a corner ahead,
he had to stop, as the light had turned red!
But he waved as he stood there—just what had he seen?
The twins had gone by in a long limousine!
The Bonds’ family chauffeur—his first name was Herb—
pulled the long silver vehicle up to the curb.
Mrs. Bonds called out to Brambleby Bear,
“We go by the Waldorf; could we drop you off there?”
Brambleby jumped in the car with great glee
and again found his traveling expenses were free!

Chapter 6
Brambleby Bear Arrives at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel

Goose pimples popped up on Brambleby’s skin,
as the Waldorf was breathtaking when he stepped in.
The lobby gleamed with a rich copper glow—
like the start of a sunrise— that, he would well know!
A beautiful crystal-and-bronze chandelier
sent lights tumbling down over everything near.
Lights just like stars—there were thousands or more—
cascaded down walls and then danced on the floor.
The elegant carpet that Brambleby saw
felt as soft as clouds look, when he stepped with each paw.

The Reception Desk greeting made it quite clear
that Brambleby Bear could ask for help here.
The desk clerk was smiling, and she did her best
to deal well with Brambleby Bear’s room request:
“I’d like a room with a nice woodsy view—
perhaps by the park—just a small room would do.”

Nneka, the desk clerk, looked very dismayed
when telling him, “No reservation was made.”
She went on to explain, “My dear Mr. Bear,
you won’t find a room in New York anywhere!