Back in the late 80's while on the Sac, me and few shipmates got picked up out there and spent the night in the Oakland drunk tank. For some reason, even though I was late for muster the next day by about an hour I never got in trouble. You could almost delete Webster Street, and insert Kings Cross for the way things were so similar back in Oz the early 70's.
Progress and rebuilding, political correctness and contempt for the sailors cash in preference for more prestigious clients has seen that once great run turn totally against the sailor. One of my average nights was getting drunk at Johnny B. Goodes and having pizza, there was a fancier bar about a block down, a good steak and egg breakfast near a motel by the corner, an irish pub down a few blocks where I would play pool a lot, a bar and grill across the street, got so drunk one night I ended up sleeping at the bus bench and missed muster, come to think of it I didn't get in as much trouble as I thought I would.
And the ole enlisted club, yep good memories. Goode's a couple of time. What an awful place. I dated the manager Becky and hung out with the owner's Bill and Marco quite a bit from 82 to Spent a lot of time in Alameda. Lived down on Shoreline drive across from the beach with a view of San Francisco looking out across the bay. My buddy at work we were stationed at FMAG worked at the little club after work as a bar tender, so I would get free beer until I couldn't see straight.
Webster street had calmed when I was there in the mid 70s, and I then I was back there again in the late 80s on a Cruiser just before I retired. Hard to imagine all those bases being closed up. If those fancy restaurants include a cheap sushi place at least the smells and tastes of the past still linger there. Was on a Long Beach ship in the 70's that visited Alameda from time to time. The CPO club was full of Westpac widows. Fine pickin's no need to go any further.
As I look back on it now some 30 years later, I can saw without hesitation, that Webster street in Alameda and those 3 years on shore duty, were the most memorable in my life. There isn't anything I wouldn't give to get back any one day of it now Regards: Carp. Wallys corner La Fiesta I'm bragging Use to hang out sometime in the Fireside bar in Alameda back in 64 for a couple of month. Stationed on the Carl Vinson as well Hung out at the DP, Johnny B.
