I remember when drug stores sold ice cream. I remember Egg Creames and malts. I remember when gas stations were full service, and a stop for gas meant a team of guys spilling out to check your oil, tire pressure and wash your windows.
I remember the nickle trolley here in NYC. I remember when the transit fare went up to 15 cents we thought it highway robbery.
I remember the BROOKLYN Dodgers and the NEW YORK Giants.
I remember Willy Mays and Mickey Mantle.
I remember duck and cover drills in grade school.
I remember gigantic gang wars here in NY ( 500 people? 1ooo?) where gangs had their own names and rap/theme songs. Yeah, rapping existed even in the 40's and 50's.
I remember family dinners. I remember when the family sat around a 12" color TV and thought it a technological marvel.
I remember playing NY street games like stickball, johnny on a pony and coco-levio all day, leaving for dinner, then returning to play late into the evening AND FEELING SAFE WHILE DOING IT.
Some of you may remember never locking your doors, but I lived in the city and that was never a reality.
I remember a NY pizza and a coke for 25 cents.
I remember watching the best boxers on free TV every Friday: Sugar Ray ROBINSON, Jake LaMotta (RIP Jake), Joe Louis, Rocky (the real one), Jersey Joe, all free.
I remember when clowns were funny and/or sad and there where no IT's.
I remember the neighborhood barber shop where elders shot the poo all day.
I remember family doctors.
I remember loving and respecting our teachers, elders, and strangers. I remember politeness, formality and civility.
I also remember tough catholic school brothers and sisters who would as soon whup your ass as teach arithmetic. I think the sisters were the worse. I remember quiet classrooms which were places for learning.
I remember when any corporal correction by parents wasn't considered abuse. Thank you Dr. Spock.
Enough.
Enough? Never.
I remember Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Gil Hodges.
I remember when the Dodgers left.
I remember when football and basketball were sports and not brands.
I remember an occasional intimate chat to the people by the president on TV.
I remember Roy Rodgers, Dale, and Davey Crockett.
I remember how much my dad loved "Shoot-em-ups" and a good fight. I still remember rooting for the Indians in cowboy movies.
I remember only you can prevent forest fires.
I remember cold winters and mounds of snow piled on corners after snowfalls that were one story high. I remember sliding off of them.
I remember going to horror movies with my mom when I was 4 and 5 years old. She loved them but was too scared to go alone. I had nightmares for years about creatures and witches.
I remember clean beaches.
I remember bikini's.
I remember Coney Island, The Cyclone,the boardwalk, its parachute jump and Steeplechase Park. I remember Nathan's and cotton candy.
I remember open fire hydrants in the summer and going up on the roof at night to cool off. I remember stoop sitting.
I remember short shorts.
I remember the doo-wop singers on the corner under the streetlights, in the hallways and in the subways singing harmonies.
I remember early Rock and Roll shows at the Paramount. I was about 3. I also remember Murray the K and all of his shows at the Fox. $2 and about 20 acts doing one or two songs apiece. I remember Frankie Lymon. I remember crying when Johnny Ace shot himself.
I remember The Little Rascales and Howdy Doody.
I remember Jackie Gleason and Ed Sullivan.
I remember The Nat King Cole show, and when he was forced off the air.
The remember paper airplanes and lunch boxes.
I remember never swearing in front of my parents. I remember a mouth full of soap.
I remember my first taste of beer. I'm a teetotaler.
I remember Bruno Sammartino.
I remember when a high end coffee shop meant a Chock Full o' Nuts place.
