As I stated in my previous post that we did most things in a pack, our families and neighbors acted in concert to enjoy the free time that they could squeeze away from work and raising family. Our moms had their hands full too many kids , all in Catholic schools , all at once. But our folks always seem to make it, despite many obstacles. No one ever complained.
Then our lives kind of changed , my folks told us that we were moving to Staten Island.
We were freaked out, all our friends and neighbors we grew to consider family were about to be left behind . To us it seemed like SI was a million miles away and we would be trapped in a placed way different from what we knew . At that time many of our relatives on my father side lived there and although they were family ,we didnt have the day to day contact like we did on 55th street. And to top it off most of my SI cousins didnt live close enough to walk to visit.
The first few weeks SI was like a jail sentence, it was summer and the weekend we moved in was a storm, akin to a hurricane . This was a bad omen. At that time I was trying a new experience , I was performing in a play with some OLPH folks. although I probably was more novelty then an actor . I had acted as the Mayor of the Munchkins in a previous production of Wizard Of Oz, then as Lt Brannigan (of the Vice Squad ) in Guys and Dolls. It was a hoot to do and to get all that special attention . All the actors were high school and freshman college students and I was in grade school . And I got to make some folks laugh . Family and friends were always supportive . And I was always a HAM.
This time also put a strain on my schedule down on Shore Road , because thats where I got to play sandlot football ...My true love. Coming from OLPH, which was noted for basketball. There were many terrific players in this hood , I had a hard time getting playing time and finally decided to go with a sport that gave me a chance to play more. Being a Strype I had built in instruction , my brothers probably understood way before I did that football was a better option for me. Richie and Jim always gave me their best effort when it came to coaching and an honest reveiw of my performance. There was never any favoritism when they coached the teams I played on , best guys always played first . It taught me that fairness was most important in sports at that age.
Getting back to Staten Island , soon after arriving I started to realize two things , we needed to act like this was a good thing for us , to make my parents not worry about our adjusting to a dramatic change at such a formative time in our lives, and second I now had two sets of friends . I loved living in a place that was new and different than the place I came from. It was good for perspective .
I would hang with new school and neighborhood friends in SI and go to BKLYN on weekends to be with the people I know my whole life up until that point. It was unique to say the least . My parents were always good with myself and Judy traveling to and from old hood . I had friends in Brooklyn that would let me stay for the weekends Reggie Fleming (who was as much a cousin and best friend as I could get) . And Jimmy (Butch) Cassidy whose family were the very nicest , most generous people to all they came in contact with. And let me not leave out the Penders , Jim and family always had an open door policy to all .
Around this time Margie had just fit in to SI just fine . I love that about little kids they just are so natural at social stuff. Want to be my best friend ..Sure ... and we're good to go.
She was too , like anyone who ever met her will tell you she was always so comfortable in social situations , making friends and having fun was her area of expertise.
I had a hard time resuming this project because all the best memories of Marge came with a sadness once told . There is a hole in my heart that is right next to that special place where she lives . Like my tail was caught in a mouse trap.The more I wrote the sadder I became and the Holidays were tough for us all. Although we did our stuff with her in mind it was and will never be the same.
Although this project was a memory lane journey for me , this is will eventually turn into something different then its intention. Once I get the back stories out , I hopefully will be able to get to some of the fun times and stories of our collective lives together. So as always , if you care to... stay with me ...I can use the company
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