List No. 073
Charles Green Shaw
Circa 1930
Born in New York in 1892, Charles Green Shaw was an abstract painter whose artworks are still celebrated to this day in a number of prestigious art museums. He was also, at various points in his life, a writer, poet, illustrator and journalist. Most interestingly, however, for the purposes of this book at least, Shaw was an avid list maker. The delightful example seen here, in which he describes a recent visit to a “bohemian” restaurant in Manhattan in list form, is typically entertaining.
The Bohemian Dinner.
The ride down town.
The Washington Square district.
The “bohemian” restaurant.
Te descending steps.
The narrow hall-way.
The semi darkness.
The checking the hat.
The head waiter.
The effusive greeting.
The corner table.
The candle light.
The brick walls.
The “artistic atmosphere”.
The man who plays the piano.
The wailing sounds.
The boy fiddler.
The doleful discords.
The other diners.
The curious types.
The long hair.
The low collar.
The flowing tie.
The loose clothes.
The appearance of food.
The groan.
The messy waiter.
The thumb in the soup.
The grated cheese.
The twisted bread.
The veal paté.
The minced macaroni.
The cayenne pepper.
The coughing fit.
The chemical wine.
The garlic salad.
The rum omelette.
The black coffee.
The bénédictine.
The Russian cigarette.
The “boatman’s song”.
The mock applause.
The ‘tempermental’ selection.
The drowsy feeling.
The snooze.
The sudden awakening.
The appearance of the check.
The dropped jaw.
The emptied pockets.
The last penny.
The bolt for the door.
The hat.
The street.
The lack of car fare.
The long walk up town.
The limping home.
The Bed.
