Chapter 51: China

Sat, Oct 31, 1970

Hoyt Axton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, & Black Oak Arkansas, Day 5 of 6, RCMH, NYC, 8pm., RCMH, NYC, 8pm, Day 5 of 6.

Mary Tyler Moore Show, #7, Toulouse-Lautrec Is One of My Favorite Artists, CBS-TV, 9:30-10pm

“I’d love to get you on a slow boat to China,

All to myself, alone.

Get you and keep you in my arms evermore,

Leave all your lovers weeping on the far away shore.

Out on the briny with a moon big and shiny

Melting your heart of stone.

I’d love to get you on a slow boat to China,

All to myself, alone.

There is no verse to this song

’cause I don’t want to wait a moment too long

To say that

I’d love to get you on a slow boat to China,

All to myself, alone.

Get you and keep you in my arms evermore,

Leave all your lovers weeping on the far away shore.

Out on the briny with a moon big and shiny

Melting your heart of stone.

I’d love to get you on a slow boat to China,

All to myself, alone.”

On a Slow Boat to China

By Frank Loesser

We took a couple days to rest up. We’d been gone from NYC for a couple weeks, so all of us had to reconnect with our individual Operations. D-Rock with Chase Manhattan & Rockefeller Center, Warren Buffett with Berkshire Hathaway, etc.

Jack Welch had the most to assimilate, as he was in charge of all U-Corp, which was expanding almost daily now. He had a legion of MGF’s, that were his link to each Partner & Company or Project. Jack was in his element though, as he was like the old Plate-Spinner on Ed Sullivan. He would run between Plates Spinning on a Rods, always keeping them Spinning. Very few ever fell.

Sun, Nov 1, 1970

Hoyt Axton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, & Black Oak Arkansas, Day 5 of 6, RCMH, NYC, 8pm., RCMH, NYC, 8pm, Day 5 of 6, Live @ Radio City, CBS-TV, 9-11pm.

It was good to hang out at Radio City again. Hoyt Axton was a hoot, really not giving a fuk. I loved his Drunken Rambling between Songs, Live.

Ali, Barbie, Bambi, Harri & Blanca, spent the day at the OBY-GYN, getting checked out. All were progressing well in their Pregnancy. Leif assured us of the same thing, which helped me to relax about becoming a Dad of 4.

If you smile at me

I will understand

’Cause that is something

Everybody everywhere does in the same language

I can see by your coat, my friend

You’re from the other side

There’s just one thing I’ve got to know

Can you tell me please, who won?

Say, can I have some of your purple berries

Yes, I’ve been eating them for six or seven weeks now

Haven’t got sick once

Prob’ly keep us both alive

Wooden ships on the water, very free, and easy

Easy, you know the way it’s supposed to be

Silver people on the shoreline let us be

Talk’n ‘bout very free, and easy

Horror grips us as we watch you die

All we can do is echo your anguished cries

Stare as all human feelings die

We are leaving, you don’t need us

Go take a sister, then, by the hand

Lead her away from this foreign land

Far away, where we might laugh again

We are leaving, you don’t need us

And it’s a fair wind

Blowin’ warm out of the south over my shoulder

Guess I’ll set a course and go”

Wooden Ships

By David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Paul Kantner,

Mon, Nov 2, 1970

“Before you slip into unconsciousness

I’d like to have another kiss

Another flashing chance at bliss

Another kiss, another kiss

The days are bright and filled with pain

Enclose me in your gentle rain

The time you ran was too insane

We’ll meet again, we’ll meet again

Oh tell me where your freedom lies

The streets are fields that never die

Deliver me from reasons why

You’d rather cry, I’d rather fly

The crystal ship is being filled

A thousand girls, a thousand thrills

A million ways to spend your time

When we get back, I’ll drop a line”

The Crystal Ship

By Jim Morrison

Tue, Nov 3, 1970

The Circle Unders, Day 1 of 6, RCMH, NYC, 8pm.

The Circle Unders were going big-time, performing to 6,000, 6 Nights in a row.

Woody Allen, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon, Dave Brubeck, Dave Sanborn, Steve Gadd & Bette Midler were up to it though. They kept it loose, but were super-tight as a band though. They were a mix of great Blues & great Jazz.

Well, that was fun, chilling out, Riding Central Park again, in a large group.

But Chairman Mao had called, begging U-Corp to set up Operations in China. He needed our help in Re-Opening China back up to the World. He wanted D-Rock to help him set up China’s Economy to be Vibrant & Self-Sustaining, w/o much Government Control.

He thought we could Organize China’s Auto Industry better, maybe Opening a new Auto Factory or 2. All Chinese Auto Manufacturers were State-Owned in 1970.

He thought we could Operate one of China’s State-Owned Shipyards too.

We thought that a great option, so a few of us were on our way to Shanghai, China. We were in a Long-Range Pan Am Luxury Boeing 707.

D-Rock, Harry Helmsley, Warren Buffett, Bill Keeler, Tom Crowley, Edgar Kaiser & Jack Welch, were aboard, as well as a bunch of MGF’s. All were bi-lingual, speaking a mix of English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, etc. All spoke English & Mandarin, the main Chinese language for Trade.

We landed at Shanghai-Pudong A/P, which is massive, with 5 Runways, the longest 11,000’.

We Taxied to the SE part of the Airport, South of the Runways. U-Corp, was being given full use of that area. It already had 5 Hangers along the East Side of the Ramp. We could easily add more on the East Side, as well as along the West Side.

There was plenty of Ramp Space, to Tie-Down Planes at.

We met Chairman Mao & L.C. Beckett, who had a bunch of Fireworks go off, as we walked down the Airstairs that were pushed up to our 707’s Door.

We were then Bused to a triple Gift from Mao to U-Corp. He was giving U-Corp, the nicest Hotel in Shanghai, the Peace Hotel.

In 1929, Sir Victor Sassoon, built the Cathay Hotel, on The Bund, which follows the serpentine shaped Huangpu River. The River is also known as the Whangpoo.

The West Side of the River, is known as Puxi, the side the Peace Hotel was on. Puxi was the traditional City Center.

The East Side of the Huangpu, is called Pudong.

After China’s Revolution, the Hotel Closed in 1949. It became Offices, until being Reopened as a Hotel in 1956, becoming the Peace Hotel.

It is 10-Floors tall, & has 270 Rooms, 89 Suites & 6 Restaurants. It was built Art Deco in style. Actually, with the Penthouse Tier, there are 13-Floors. Everyone insisted that Ali, Barbie, Bambi, Ryder, Pug Red & I, should be given the Penthouse Tier, as we’d be in China often. It had been the personal Apartment of Sir Victor Sassoon.

The Building to the Left of the Peace Hotel, began life in 1908, as the Palace Hotel. It also Closed after the Revolution, from 1949, until 1965, becoming a Wing of the Peace Hotel.

It has 6-Floors, & contains 18 Apartments & 7 Guest Rooms. Mao thought we could use it for personal Apartments for Top U-Corp-China Execs. Those just visiting would probably take Suites in the Peace Hotel.

The Building to the Right of the Peace Hotel, was an 18-Floor Building. It was the HQ of the Shanghai-Bank of China. It had been built in the 1930’s, also an Art Deco gem.

It was a subsidiary of the State-Owned Bank of China. Mao said half the Building was halfempty, so we could be HQ there if we wanted. We wanted.

At this time, I guess I’ll reveal, that Chairman Mao, was becoming the next Partner in U-Corp. Like Fidel in Cuba; & Lynden Pindling of The Bahamas, Mao was representing all of China. Because of this, he was Giving us 50% of the Shanghai-Bank of China, as China’s commitment to U-Corp.

D-Rock’s Chase Manhattan Bank, would Partner with the Shanghai-Bank of China, which would be our Portal into China. Shanghai was also our Portal, as Mao was setting us up with a tremendous opportunity.

Tomorrow, we would check out the Island that Mao thought we could set up our Industrial Ops at.

We had a wonderful evening, as Mao & L.C. Hosted us in style. The Peace Hotel was famous for the Old Jazz Band, all old guys who loved Jazz. They were like the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, from New Orleans.

It was super romantic to view the winding riverfront, ringed on both sides of the Huangpu River by Buildings, Hotels, Restaurants, etc, all with glittering Lights of many colours. Ali, B&B & I enjoyed it immensely. Ryder & Pug Red thought us foolish. Oh well.

Wed, Nov 4, 1970

The Circle Unders, Day 2 of 6, RCMH, NYC, 8pm.

“Look for a while at the China Cat Sunflower,

Proud-walking jingle in the midnight sun.

Copperdome bodhi drip a silver kimono,

Like a crazy quilt stargown through a dream night wind.

Crazy cat peekin’ through a lace bandanna,

Like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eye jack.

A leaf of all colors plays a golden-string fiddle,

To a double-E waterfall over my back.

Comic book colors on a violin river Cryin’ Leonardo,

Words from out a silk trombone.

I rang a silent bell, beneath a shower of pearls,

In the eagle-winged palace of the Queen Chinee.”

China Cat Sunflower

By Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter

Mao had a nice small Ferry Boat, pick us up, at the Seawall in front of the Peace Hotel, which we renamed the Westin Peace Hotel. We then went Left downstream, or North, following the River, until its Mouth, where it finally emptied into the the Yangtze River Delta.

The Yangtze emptied into the Yellow Sea, about 20 miles to the East.

In the middle of the Yangtze, was an Island, called Changxing Island, about 40,000 Acres, which was massive.

We Docked along the Southside Docks. There were 3 Large Shipyards, as well with continuous Docks along its Southside.

Mao was also offering the Island to U-Corp. All of it was State-Owned, but he was hoping we’d Partner 50% with China, by Taking over all the Shipyards & Docks on Changxing Island. There also was plenty of room for a Car Factory or 2.

There were Homes & Businesses on Changxing Island, so all our Chinese Employees could live on the Island too. There was also great spots for a Resort or 2.

Mao thought we could start with the Hudong China Shipyard, which was at the SE Corner of the Island.

Mao had heard of us creating a new Shipyard in The Bahamas, so why not use one of his. We could build the biggest Ships there, as well as all the other smaller Boats we’d need in the following years.

We were stunned, as this was a fabulous gift of Mao to U-Corp. We couldn’t possibly fail, with the Cashflow, plus the perfect Partners, in all areas.

We had Edgar Kaiser, running our Shipyards & Tom Crowley, running Crowley APL.

They got together, going over the info on the Docks & Shipyards along the SS of Changxing Island.

There were Huge Port Cranes being built, towards the SW side of the Island too. Mao said they were included, so that would be awesome, as all our new Container Ports would need them. Once all others caught on, that Containers were the way to go, Orders would swamp us. We were amazed at how well built they were, totally suitable for all Port Functions.

Just inland from the Docks, were plenty of areas, where we could build a new C-4 Factory.

Mao spoke up again, as he was also giving us 50% of the 1st Auto Company in China, begun in 1953. It had been State-Owned up to now, but Mao was letting us Own 50% now.

FAW, the First Automotive Works, in the NE of China, in Changchun, Jilin Provence.

FAW would become C-4 China. It would supply the Workforce, as well as all Infrastructure Support. They would continue to make their own Models, but would now also make all C-4 Vehicles in China too.