Posted by Steve | Filed under Blog, Container Diaries
TO MY 18 YEAR-OLD SELF
27 Wednesday Dec 2017
27 Wednesday Dec 2017
25 Monday Dec 2017
Posted Blog, Container Diaries
inTags
Hope everyone has a nice day…
-Red
23 Saturday Dec 2017
Posted Blog, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Gang, Brooklyn Settler, Container Diaries
inCame across this post on Facebook:
HOW ON EARTH DID WE MANAGE TO SURVIVE ?
This is an open letter to all of the kids who managed to survive the 50s, 60s and 70s!
Somehow, by some miracle, we survived being born to mothers who didn’t dodge clouds of second hand smoke, simply because no one said that was required.
While expecting, they took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn’t get tested for diabetes.
When we were born, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints. Somehow, we survived!
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes…Though sometimes we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads
On Sunday our moms forced us to wear uncomfortable clothes to go to church and we had absolutely NO SAY in the matter.
As infants and children, we would ride in cars with no car seats. No booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes. Riding in the back of a pick-up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose, and not from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon. Twinkies, ding dongs, and Kool-aid made with REAL white sugar. And we weren’t overweight. WHY?
Because we were always outside playing, that’s why!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day…no cell phones! And you know what?
We were okay.
We did not have Play stations, Nintendo’s and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD’s, no surround-sound or CD’s! Something as simple as going out for ice cream was an event.
No cell phones, No personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms. WE HAD FRIENDS! When we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law or got in trouble in school was UNHEARD of…They actually typically sided with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best INVENTORS, RISK-TAKERS AND ARTISTS…ever!
If YOU are one of them?
CONGRATULATIONS!
Thank you Brooklyn for giving me the street smarts and making me the person I am today.
Hoops135@hotmail.com
21 Thursday Dec 2017
Posted Blog, Boys Schoolyard, Container Diaries, Holy Name
inIt snowed all day.
School was cancelled.
I have to get out of my apartment, mom is driving me crazy.
Crossing ninth avenue, I head down Windsor Place, hang a right on Howard Place.
I grab some snow off a parked car and make a snowball. It’s good packing.
I fire a fastball towards the lot on Windsor. Feels like I’m playing baseball. The lot is where we play pick-up baseball.
Few people are shoveling their sidewalks. The sun is trying to come out. Some of the snow is melting. It’s not too cold.
There’s a kid in front of his house on Howard Place trying to make a snowman. He’s alone. Wearing a black snowsuit. Probably around nine years old. He’s struggling. I pick up some more snow, make another snowball and throw it at him. Just missing his head. He doesn’t even notice.
Entering the schoolyard I see Gammie and Edgar shoveling the middle court.
These guys are nuts.
“Yo Red, grab a shovel,” Gammie shouts.
I look around and think, I don’t have one.
Gammie points over towards the fence on Howard Place.
Against the fence, just a few yards away is a small shovel so I grab it, walk through the snow and help them push the rest of the snow off the court.
Looks like they have been here for a while.
It’s what we do. Shovel the court so we can play ball.
No excuses!
When I played on the basketball team at Holy Name, this is where we practiced.
Right here in the boys schoolyard.
No gym.
Just the yard.
Our coaches made us shovel the court.
Basketball practice was never cancelled.
Parents never complained. They let the coaches coach.
After 10 minutes we have a clear path to work on our dribbling.
From one baseline to another.
Looks like the yellow brick road from Wizard of Oz.
Gammie grabs a ball which was sitting in the snow and starts to go up the court towards the church wall.
He’s not wearing gloves. But he has a really cool hat on.
Edgar watches closely and soon as Gammie gets to half court he starts real low and dribbles forward. No gloves either. No hat.
The dribble is always out in front.
I’m left standing there on the baseline without a ball. Watching these two great point guards do their thing. Working on their handle.
Gammie plays for John Jay, Edgar at Bishop Ford.
Soon as Gammie gets to the other end of the court he throws his ball in the air down to me. Full court pass, perfect. I didn’t have to move. Gammie is known for his passing.
“GO AHEAD RED!” he shouts.
Follow the leader.
I start to dribble towards them.
“GET LOW RED,” Edgar shouts.
Dribbling fundamental 101: Always stay low and keep your head up.
It starts to snow.
Fuck it, let it snow. I don’t care.
-Red
Hoops135@hotmail.com
19 Tuesday Dec 2017
13 Wednesday Dec 2017
Posted Blog, James Cacaci
inTags
One of the good guys from the neighborhood passed away on Tuesday.
James Cacaci died of a heart attack. He was 53.
Visitation
Graveside Service
Hoops135@hotmail.com
01 Friday Dec 2017
Posted Blog, Container Diaries
inTags