Diamond Lil

Kitty Meredith was Canada's Diamond Lil'.  She started her career as an entertainer at the Iroquois Hotel in London. She did her routine up stairs in that hotel that was supposed to be a makeshift saloon. However, when she finally moved to Toronto, she was featured at the Ports of Call, an absolutely first-rate nightclub.  It was right out of a Las Vegas casino setting.  It was very plush to say the least.

Her Diamond Lil' show was very popular with the clientele and the band (a supporting cast) did a variety of musical styles from Broadway hits, saloon music (what ever that is) Dixieland and what have you. Kitty was really a crowd-pleaser. What ever she lacked in singing experience she more than made up in "show biz" pizzazz.

Kitty always had an out-going personality and was forever promoting herself and of course the band. She happened to be on friendly terms with the manager and owner of the establishment.  The Ports of Call was a high-class restaurant facility with about four or five separate, elaborate rooms offering different styles of entertainment and food.  The Hawaiian room with the water falls and crossover bridge as you came in was unique and the food was absolutely first-rate. It was one of my favourite dining spots.

This particular evening the band (after our last show) was invited to a private party hosted by the owner. The room was packed with the usual noisy mixture of exuberant guests. A bunch of us were seated across from Kitty and she proceeded to introduce us to a gentleman sitting next to her.

Now this guy looked like someone from the movie The Great Gatsby.  He was a good looking guy resembling Robert Redford, perhaps in his early forties and looked like he just came from parking his Stuz Bearcat. The guy was pure "Hollywood" complete with an ascot and leather-patched jacket.

Kitty introduced us to John Eaton.   She didn't say John Eaton the third or gave any clue as to who he was and if we had suspected it was "the" John Eaton (Eaton Department Stores) none of us pictured him to be this young.

We all figured that John Eaton should be an old guy with a cane, sporting a moustache like the statue in front of the family store. Besides, why should John Eaton the third be here with us thirsty musicians and other anonymous freeloaders.

We all chatted for a bit as he seemed to be interested in music and loved Kitty's show. The drummer tried to join in on the small talk and innocently asked, "By the way, what is it you do for a living?"

I suspect Kitty kicked him under the table because he wasn't able to use his "high hat" for a whole week.

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