528.
Vignettes
Trip to New York in June 2016 (Part 3)......H.S. reunion
(review Part 2 if need reminder)
Dinner was very Italian and I drank some wine which I normally stay away from. Dick came, maybe in the same suit he was in since HS with his Jamaican younger wife. He had been somewhat straight-laced in a non straight-laced school, and here he was proud to be with his African American wife, a statement of some sorts. When we parted Greenwich village was teeming with activity and I made a call and inadvertently became separated from the pack.
Somehow, I forget when, Jimmy had offered to give me a lift to Terry's brunch and I accepted. Early on Sunday I met them at Jodie's parents' place and we chatted and revisited our common history. They had many paintings and etchings and prints on the walls I looked at. They knew my mom and were interested in the book I put together. Later, my father said he would give them a copy and I'm still waiting for that to happen. Anyhow, we made good time to Brooklyn and Terry's ground floor apartment and helped ourselves to some food. Terry's wife said she was into a Paleo diet.
Just to recap, the previous day I ran into David. I think he originally wanted to be a musician but eventually had a family and worked in law firms. I told him I was impressed with the fact that he had coached girls' soft ball teams and his son had pitched for city college before getting hurt. I said to him everyone wants to be a star today and few want to develop and nourish others. Our high school was not very athletically oriented but my classmates and I had some interest in sports. Marvin asked questions about the basketball championships and I found myself in a very guy conversation.
Joe' s wife stated she thought our high school was an ivory tower, and that kids should go to a regular high school. I inserted that I had gone to a public school in a rough neighborhood and it was dangerous and there were fights all the time. I added that I could have gone to Seward park but that was tough as nails. Then she and someone else mentioned two ladies who went there turned out fine. I got involved with another conversation after that.
Joe was tall, nice looking and became a lawyer. Recently he found out he was diabetic and had to watch what he ate. He said for forty years he ate pasta and pizza and now can't have any of it. Debbie, another classmate who grew up close by, occasionally would study with me. She was very quiet and reserved in those days and not particularly active in school although naturally very bright. She disagreed with my stories of danger in the city as she never felt it. I said she was just oblivious. I went out, played in the playgrounds, interacted and felt the pulse. Debbie had gone to the private school Town and Country before Elisabeth Irwin High School and that was pretty insulated. A young man gets seriously challenged in the city if you spend any time outdoors.
Joe remembered everything. He lived near the school and recalled something I did on his stoop in the village, I forget what. He also remembered that at twelve between my local little league and another organization in the Bronx I was picked to pitch in Puerto Rico on an all star team. He brought back memories. I said to Dave, Marvin and Joe 'I have to say this. I won the only game down there.' In sports I had some nice moments and some not nice moments as a kid. Nothing was consistent. But Joe brought these memories back as if they were yesterday. Later his wife came up to me and I said he remembers everything and then she said he doesn't even remember to complete the to do list. I listened. So some of us, all from a politically leftist school, all talked sports which I hardly do in my normal life. (End of Part 3)
Vignettes
Trip to New York in June 2016 (Part 3)......H.S. reunion
(review Part 2 if need reminder)
Dinner was very Italian and I drank some wine which I normally stay away from. Dick came, maybe in the same suit he was in since HS with his Jamaican younger wife. He had been somewhat straight-laced in a non straight-laced school, and here he was proud to be with his African American wife, a statement of some sorts. When we parted Greenwich village was teeming with activity and I made a call and inadvertently became separated from the pack.
Somehow, I forget when, Jimmy had offered to give me a lift to Terry's brunch and I accepted. Early on Sunday I met them at Jodie's parents' place and we chatted and revisited our common history. They had many paintings and etchings and prints on the walls I looked at. They knew my mom and were interested in the book I put together. Later, my father said he would give them a copy and I'm still waiting for that to happen. Anyhow, we made good time to Brooklyn and Terry's ground floor apartment and helped ourselves to some food. Terry's wife said she was into a Paleo diet.
Just to recap, the previous day I ran into David. I think he originally wanted to be a musician but eventually had a family and worked in law firms. I told him I was impressed with the fact that he had coached girls' soft ball teams and his son had pitched for city college before getting hurt. I said to him everyone wants to be a star today and few want to develop and nourish others. Our high school was not very athletically oriented but my classmates and I had some interest in sports. Marvin asked questions about the basketball championships and I found myself in a very guy conversation.
Joe' s wife stated she thought our high school was an ivory tower, and that kids should go to a regular high school. I inserted that I had gone to a public school in a rough neighborhood and it was dangerous and there were fights all the time. I added that I could have gone to Seward park but that was tough as nails. Then she and someone else mentioned two ladies who went there turned out fine. I got involved with another conversation after that.
Joe was tall, nice looking and became a lawyer. Recently he found out he was diabetic and had to watch what he ate. He said for forty years he ate pasta and pizza and now can't have any of it. Debbie, another classmate who grew up close by, occasionally would study with me. She was very quiet and reserved in those days and not particularly active in school although naturally very bright. She disagreed with my stories of danger in the city as she never felt it. I said she was just oblivious. I went out, played in the playgrounds, interacted and felt the pulse. Debbie had gone to the private school Town and Country before Elisabeth Irwin High School and that was pretty insulated. A young man gets seriously challenged in the city if you spend any time outdoors.
Joe remembered everything. He lived near the school and recalled something I did on his stoop in the village, I forget what. He also remembered that at twelve between my local little league and another organization in the Bronx I was picked to pitch in Puerto Rico on an all star team. He brought back memories. I said to Dave, Marvin and Joe 'I have to say this. I won the only game down there.' In sports I had some nice moments and some not nice moments as a kid. Nothing was consistent. But Joe brought these memories back as if they were yesterday. Later his wife came up to me and I said he remembers everything and then she said he doesn't even remember to complete the to do list. I listened. So some of us, all from a politically leftist school, all talked sports which I hardly do in my normal life. (End of Part 3)
(A small remnant from high school Others showed up at Sunday lunch, or Friday dinner, or dinner that night.)
Some names are changed in writing to protect the innocent.
Standing L-R......Steven (me), John, Marvin, David, Louis, Tom, James
Sitting L-R......Jimmy, Dorothy, Jane, Paula, Terry
Some names are changed in writing to protect the innocent.
Standing L-R......Steven (me), John, Marvin, David, Louis, Tom, James
Sitting L-R......Jimmy, Dorothy, Jane, Paula, Terry
RSS Feed
