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Nick & Carter Holiday #17
Columbus Day, 1939
Thursday, October 12, 1939
It's Columbus Day and it seems like everyone is heading to the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay!
There are only a few days left before the thrilling exhibitions, pavilions, restaurants, and rides close down and they may not open up again in 1940.
Nick Williams and Mike Robertson are heading over to Treasure Island to tour all the pavilions of the different states and the foreign lands.
Both have been before.
Mike worked a detail there earlier in the year as a patrol officer. He never got to see anything other than the crazy crowds.
Nick snuck in with his buddies during the early days of the Exposition. He even took off with a few trinkets without paying.
Carter Jones and Henry Winters arrived in San Francisco from Georgia a couple of months ago and, only now, are finally able to make their way over to Treasure Island.
Carter, who's training to be a fireman, has been looking forward to this magical moment for a long time.
Henry is meeting him there after classes at Cal over in Berkeley.
Both couples will find their expeditions delayed by some unfortunate and coincidental encounters among the thousands of visitors who are crowding the island in celebration of Columbus Day.
But, in the end, everything sorts itself out and they all have a wonderful time.
And, who knows, maybe their paths will cross 8 years before that wonderful enchanted beginning...
It's Columbus Day and it seems like everyone is heading to the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay!
There are only a few days left before the thrilling exhibitions, pavilions, restaurants, and rides close down and they may not open up again in 1940.
Nick Williams and Mike Robertson are heading over to Treasure Island to tour all the pavilions of the different states and the foreign lands.
Both have been before.
Mike worked a detail there earlier in the year as a patrol officer. He never got to see anything other than the crazy crowds.
Nick snuck in with his buddies during the early days of the Exposition. He even took off with a few trinkets without paying.
Carter Jones and Henry Winters arrived in San Francisco from Georgia a couple of months ago and, only now, are finally able to make their way over to Treasure Island.
Carter, who's training to be a fireman, has been looking forward to this magical moment for a long time.
Henry is meeting him there after classes at Cal over in Berkeley.
Both couples will find their expeditions delayed by some unfortunate and coincidental encounters among the thousands of visitors who are crowding the island in celebration of Columbus Day.
But, in the end, everything sorts itself out and they all have a wonderful time.
And, who knows, maybe their paths will cross 8 years before that wonderful enchanted beginning...
- GenresGay
30 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2020
3 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Frank W. Butterfield
123 books106 followersFrank W. Butterfield, not an assumed name, loves old movies, wise-cracking smart guys with hearts of gold, and writing for fun.
Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.
Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.
After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof apartment with superior water pressure that was built in 1926.
While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.
Although he worships San Francisco, he lives at the beach on another coast.
Born on a windy day in November of 1966, he was elected President of his high school Spanish Club in the spring of 1983.
After moving across these United States like a rapid-fire pinball, he currently makes his home in a hurricane-proof apartment with superior water pressure that was built in 1926.
While he hasn't met any dolphins personally, that invitation is always open.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 15, 2020
Sweet story about a day at the Treasure Island World's Fair.
October 15, 2020
Columbus Day, 1939 (Nick & Carter Holiday #17)
By Frank W. Butterfield
Published by the author, 2020
Five stars
This particular holiday, one which is increasingly discredited because of what it represents historically, used to be on October 12, not on some random Monday to allow for bargain shopping and long weekends.
But, as is true with Frank Butterfield’s holiday stories, that isn’t really the point. This story brought tears to my eyes, as a longtime Nick and Carter fan, because of the moment in their lives it allows us to see.
Nick and Carter both take the boat out to Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay to see the Golden Gate International Exposition—a world’s fair that us east coasters hardly know about (because New York had a bigger one at the same time, in 1939 and 40). The Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge had just opened! Thing is, Nick and Carter are not together, because they haven’t met, and won’t for years to come.
Carter Jones heads out to the exposition with his boyfriend, and childhood chum from Albany, Georgia, Henry Winters. Nick heads to the island with his boyfriend, San Francisco police officer Mike Robertson. It’s at this point you realize when this is: the year Nick’s father kicked him out of the “pile of rocks” on Nob Hill, and the year Carter arrived in San Francisco. Nick is 16 and Carter is 18. They are both just settling into the idea that they like men, both with their first loves, and neither has any idea where their lives will take them—or that a world war will alter their histories.
The story follows these four young men as they try for a quiet day out with their special friends, only to have various hurdles thrown in their way. There is a particularly clever touch in which the author reminds us that everybody in the subsequent stories always thinks Henry Winters and Nick Williams look alike. More importantly, Butterfield lets us see our two heroes as part of different couples, and helps us understand how these boys were destined for each other. All four of these guys will come to be friends, but at this moment of youthful innocence, they have no idea what awaits them. It sent chills down my spine.
By Frank W. Butterfield
Published by the author, 2020
Five stars
This particular holiday, one which is increasingly discredited because of what it represents historically, used to be on October 12, not on some random Monday to allow for bargain shopping and long weekends.
But, as is true with Frank Butterfield’s holiday stories, that isn’t really the point. This story brought tears to my eyes, as a longtime Nick and Carter fan, because of the moment in their lives it allows us to see.
Nick and Carter both take the boat out to Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay to see the Golden Gate International Exposition—a world’s fair that us east coasters hardly know about (because New York had a bigger one at the same time, in 1939 and 40). The Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge had just opened! Thing is, Nick and Carter are not together, because they haven’t met, and won’t for years to come.
Carter Jones heads out to the exposition with his boyfriend, and childhood chum from Albany, Georgia, Henry Winters. Nick heads to the island with his boyfriend, San Francisco police officer Mike Robertson. It’s at this point you realize when this is: the year Nick’s father kicked him out of the “pile of rocks” on Nob Hill, and the year Carter arrived in San Francisco. Nick is 16 and Carter is 18. They are both just settling into the idea that they like men, both with their first loves, and neither has any idea where their lives will take them—or that a world war will alter their histories.
The story follows these four young men as they try for a quiet day out with their special friends, only to have various hurdles thrown in their way. There is a particularly clever touch in which the author reminds us that everybody in the subsequent stories always thinks Henry Winters and Nick Williams look alike. More importantly, Butterfield lets us see our two heroes as part of different couples, and helps us understand how these boys were destined for each other. All four of these guys will come to be friends, but at this moment of youthful innocence, they have no idea what awaits them. It sent chills down my spine.
October 14, 2020
Loved
I loved this short story. The timeline is a few months after Carter and Henry arrived in San Francisco and documents their visit to the Exposition on Treasure Island in 1939. Well well well. Guess who was there at the same time? Nick and Mike! Their paths crossed in the most unusual way! Wowza!
I loved this short story. The timeline is a few months after Carter and Henry arrived in San Francisco and documents their visit to the Exposition on Treasure Island in 1939. Well well well. Guess who was there at the same time? Nick and Mike! Their paths crossed in the most unusual way! Wowza!
October 15, 2020
epub
An interlude - and obviously before Nick and Carter met. Nick and Mike, and Carter and Henry, are visiting the Exposition. Although the four pass each other there is no recognition (why should there be?) though Carter has a slightly curious feeling - a presentiment, perhaps? Amusingly Henry and Nick are each taken for the other, as the two pairs go to the same places...
A positively joyful episode!
An interlude - and obviously before Nick and Carter met. Nick and Mike, and Carter and Henry, are visiting the Exposition. Although the four pass each other there is no recognition (why should there be?) though Carter has a slightly curious feeling - a presentiment, perhaps? Amusingly Henry and Nick are each taken for the other, as the two pairs go to the same places...
A positively joyful episode!
October 9, 2023
Not going to say too much as I don't want to spoil this for anyone who, like me, is new-ish to the Nick & Carter universe. As I've said with each of these holiday shorts, the author's main Nick & Carter series continues to creep ever higher on my TBR list. Unfortunately, as the time between now and the middle of January tends to be my busiest reading and blogging time(as well as life in general with all the holidays) it's most likely I won't get to their main journey until 2024 but I will definitely explore their full adventures.
As for Columbus Day, 1939 . . . well if you are even a little familiar with the pair you'll know that they didn't actually know each other in 1939 so we get to see a little glimpse of their individual lives at the time but we also see that their paths are growing ever closer. I was quite intrigued to see where both men were prior to meeting, Carter with then boyfriend Henry Winters and Nick with Mike Robertson. We've seen snippets of their pre-meeting pairings before but to see them so close to intertwining was quite fun.
Not sure what interested me more: their lives before meeting or wondering if they would spot each other "across a crowded room"(or in this case a crowded World's Fair). Either way it was another great glimpse into their life journeys.
As for Columbus Day, 1939 . . . well if you are even a little familiar with the pair you'll know that they didn't actually know each other in 1939 so we get to see a little glimpse of their individual lives at the time but we also see that their paths are growing ever closer. I was quite intrigued to see where both men were prior to meeting, Carter with then boyfriend Henry Winters and Nick with Mike Robertson. We've seen snippets of their pre-meeting pairings before but to see them so close to intertwining was quite fun.
Not sure what interested me more: their lives before meeting or wondering if they would spot each other "across a crowded room"(or in this case a crowded World's Fair). Either way it was another great glimpse into their life journeys.
October 18, 2025
Unexpected History
This short feature provides a touch of background for Nick and Carter, with Mike and Henry still in their initial roles.
This short feature provides a touch of background for Nick and Carter, with Mike and Henry still in their initial roles.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews