My favorite Astoria waiter lives near Nichols and confirmed that many American prisoners are working there. He saw two Filipino youths beat up and tied for throwing cigarettes to the POWs. Says it is understood that if you want to give them cigarettes, you drop them in the path of the marching men and keep going — without looking back. When a fellow came in with a rumor that Nichols was bombed, this waiter said: "Thanks for telling me; I live 15 meters away and heard nothing."