A Little Bit of History
"Illya, did you know that the Old Man almost didn't pick this location for UNCLE HQ?" Agents Solo and Kuryakin had entered Del Floria's and picked up their badges at Reception before heading to the Commissary for coffee.
The Russian shook his head. "Really? I was not aware of that. What other locations were under consideration?"
"There were two locations in Queens, one further uptown in Fort Tryon, Manhattan and Hunts Point in the Bronx. Eventually, Section One was leaning toward buildings in Kew Gardens, Queens because they were not far from Parkway Village which is a complex where employees of the UN live."
They bought coffee and headed to their office. "So," Illya said as he took his seat and pulled out a report form and put it into his typewriter, "what made Section One change its mind?"
"Under Mayor LaGuardia, The City had offered the Kew Gardens property to UNCLE. That was in 1947 but, under Mayor Impellittari's administration, The City was unwilling to hand over an entire block in a stable, primarily residential neighborhood. So, to smooth Section One's ruffled feathers, so to speak, the mayor offered this block instead because the United Nations building was being built in the Turtle Bay neighborhood and he knew that once it was completed, the neighborhood was going to undergo a transition anyway. All the Number Ones came here, looked around and decided to take the mayor up on his offer. And, here we are."
"I am impressed, Napoleon. You do not strike me as one very interested in urban planning."
"I feel it is my duty as your senior agent to familiarize you with New York's and UNCLE's histories. You've only been with us eight months and a little sense of history is a good thing, yes?"
"Yes, it is. I wouldn't mind heading over to Queens to see where UNCLE HQ might have been. Would you like to come with me?"
Napoleon snorted, "To Queens? I only go to Queens to go to the airport!"
Illya deadpanned, "I'm sure the entire borough is broken – hearted to know that. I have noticed, Napoleon, that you don't leave Manhattan unless it is for work. That is too bad. I have enjoyed the Russian community that is springing up in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn; I have taken the ferry to Staten Island and I have walked through the Bronx Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo. Manhattan has a lot to offer but, it is only a small part of New York City. Typical Amerikanski, you have the entire City at your disposal and you ignore the bulk of it."
Napoleon stopped working on agents' assignments and thought about what his partner was saying to him. "Fine, you're right. We'll go to Queens tomorrow but, from now on, you'll be my excuse for traveling outside Manhattan. After all, I have a reputation to uphold as a suave, sophisticated man."
Illya rolled his eyes and smiled. "Of course, Partner."