You should know that one of my fondest childhood memories is the every-six-month-or-so odyssey my mom took my brother, Jerry and me on. to visit Aunt Gertie, Uncle John, and my cousins, Adelaide and Jackie. She “shlepped” us all the way from our apartment in Flushing, New York City to 116 Webster Ave, New Rochelle “pronounced “ Nershelle” This is 1940’s stuff. In the fifties I could do it myself.
What an odyssey!! Remember. No car and little money. That’s Why it was only done two or three times each year.
Foist( New Yawk lingo), ya gotta catch the Q 28 bus about 5 blocks away, to downtown Flushing , where you caught the Q44 bus to West Farms Sq in the Bronx. From there it got more exciting. We somehow, found a taxi. To take us about 15-20 minutes to 116 Webster Ave I remember the taxi had little kid seats that came down from the front seats, but faced back. I loved riding on them. ( or did I?). What an odyssey!!
Aunt Gertie was always fun. She baked great lemon meringue pies. My favorite to this day. Addie and Jack were always good to me, but I was always the little guy. My brother. The perennial bully, picked on Jack a lot Later in life, Jack coulda whupped his ass. I’d love to have seen that.
They always had a dog. I specifically remember, Rough, one they had that loved to roughhouse. We got along great. He was fun. Tinker, the cat from earlier years, was not so much fun. She/he scratched my face pretty good Cause I stupidly played peek-a- boo with her. Bad idea. I only became a cat lover about 70 years later. I hold a grudge
Fond memories of the twins, Johnny and Marcello from next door. Robby Ambrosano ( Did I get that name right?)
The back yard ( we had none). The front porch. The ice cream trucks ( Good Humor and Bungalow Bar). Games I played with Aunt Gertie on the front porch.
Of course, Aunt Gertie and my mom were close friends as young girls. She introduced her brother, Jerry, to her close friend, Marjorie and started the happiest days of my mom’s life they were married in 1925 I think.
Enuf for now.
