I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT NEXT TO THE ITALIAN RESTURANT THERE WAS A KOSER BUTCHER. JEFF EISENBERG HAD THE JOB OF DELIVERING MEAT ALL OVER THE NEW YORK AREA. FROM BROOKLYN TO OUT ON THE ISLAND. THEN I TOOK IT FROM HIM WHEN I WAS STILL GOING TO HIGH SCHOOL. IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST JOBS TO HAVE IN THE HOOD. I WAS ROLLING IN LOTS OF MONEY THEN. I HAD A BOX THAT WAS FULL OF MY TIP MONEY. I CAN'T REMEMBER ONE OF THE BUTCHERS NAME. ONE WAS MORT AND HE MOVED HIS HEAD LIKE A CHICKEN. MAYBE JEFF CAN REMEMBER THE OTHER ONES NAME.

I WILL NEVER FORGET DRIVING THE BLUE V.W BUS ALL OVER TOWN. THEN THERE WAS ONE OTHER CAR THAT ONE OF THEM ALWAYS LOVED. WHEN ONE BROKE DOWN HE WOULD FIND ANOTHER 1959 PLYMOUTH FURY WITH THE FINS. WE NEVER KNEW HOW OR WHERE HE WOULD FIND THESE SAME CARS BUT HE DID. I THINK EVERYONE WHO EVER WORKED FOR THEM LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE A STICK IN THE V.W. THE CARS BACK THEN HAD THOSE PUSH BUTTON TRANSMISSION CHANGERS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL.

I MISS THOSE DAYS SO MUCH. LIFE WAS SO SIMPLE BACK THEN. IF WE COULD ONLY GO BACK FOR ONE MORE SUMMER AT THE YARD. THOSE TUESDAY NIGHT DANCES THAT WERE HELD.  WHO WOULD EVER BELIEVE WE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME. PLAYING SKULLY OR CARDS IN FRONT OF THE PARK HOUSE. FRANK AND BILL THE PARKIES LET US PLAY FOR MONEY AT THE WOODEN TABLE. THEN HEARING EISIE SINGING "SUNSHINE OF MY LOVE " TO ROBIN BENJAMAN. AHHH THOSE WERE THE DAYS FOLKS. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT MEMORIES. DENNIS GORM'E

Hi Dennis,

Besides working at Waldbaum's, I also bussed tables at Fra's. Got a % of the tips and wages, but the food was so good, I would have worked for them for nothing. I remember having to slice that delicious Italian bread, and on one occassion almost slicing my finger off, think I was 15.

I think it was George the waiter that was there forever. On one of our 1st reunions I returned to Fra's and he was still there, looked like he did when I worked there many years before. When I heard he had passed I was very sad...such a nice guy. There were 2 other younger waiters there that worked on weekends, forget there names, but they wouldalways be pulling some kind of trick on me. Fun times and fond memories.

HELLO STEVE, HOW ARE YOU? I HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH YOU AND YOURS. I TRY TO CONTACT SUE AS MUCH AS POSSABLE. I KNOW THINGS ARE TOUGH FOR HER. I AM IN CONSTANT TOUCH WITH DAWN. YES, THOSE DAYS EITHER GOING TO FRA'S OR THE CHINESS REST. AFTER SMOKING SO MUCH OF THAT WACKEY WEED. OUR GROUP WAS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO EAT.

I WAS JUST IN FLA. IN MARCH FOR MY DADS 97 TH B-DAY. I WAS STAYING WITH MY BROTHER WHO HAS BEEN LIVING DOWN THERE SINCE THE 70'S. HE IS IN SURFSIDE ABOUT 2 BLOCKS OFF THE BEACH. MY SISTER IS STILL IN NEW YORK LIVING IN LIDO BEACH FOR THE LAST 35 YEARS OR SO. MY FAMILY WAS ALWAYS AT THE BEACH IN THE SUMMERS. WHEN I WAS LIVING IN CALIF. FOR 30 SOME ODD YEARS. I ALSO WAS LIVING BY THE BEACH. LIVING AT THE BEACH YOU HAVE TO BE EITHER LISA DEAN OR NEIL FRIEDMAN. BOTH ARE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT FIELD. I ALSO WAS IN THE FIELD FOR 30 YEARS. I HAD TO REALLY WORK FOR MY MONEY THOUGH. NOT SAYING THEY DON'T BUT MY BODY WENT SOUTH ON ME AFTER 30 YEARS OF BUILDING SETS. BAD BACK, 8 SCREWS AND A PLATE IN MY LEFT LEG, ORTHO SURGERYS IN MY RIGHT KNEE AND LEFT ANKLE.

SO NOW I AM RETIRED TRYING TO FIND WORK BUILDING FINE FURNITURE. PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT TO PAY. THEY THINK THAT MY WORK JUST HAPPENS. THEY NEED PLUMBERS SO WHEN I COME BACK IN MY NEXT LIFE I AM COMING BACK AS A PLUMBER. I HAVE 3 FRIENDS THAT ARE PLUMBERS AND ALL LIVE ON RANCHES AND HAVE ALL THE TOYS A MAN WOULD WANT.

ANYWAY STAY WELL IT WAS NICE HEARING FROM YOU. I AM TRYING TO GET TO THE NEXT REUNION. MY WIFE IS IN A BAND AND THEY MIGHT BE ON TOUR THEN. LOOK UP

UNIFIEDTRIBE.NET AND YOU WILL SEE AND HEAR THEM. THEY JUST HAD A CONCERT HERE IN VEGAS AND BLEW UP THE PLACE. THEY ARE BEING PLAYED IN NY, FLA, HERE AND THE U.K. WITH RAVE REVIEWS. SO GO OUT AND GET THE C.D. IT'S CALLED"ON PURPOSE"                    

ALL MY BEST, DENNIS G

Hi Dennis,

You sound like the 6 million dollar man with all your screws and plates. Lol. I admire and envy that line of work. The creativity and imagination that goes into alot of that to bring it all to life for us is just overwhelming. I went back to school when I was 40 to be a physical therapist and don't regret it one bit, I've gotten alot of satisfaction out of seeing people have a better quality of life from our work. It's something I can do for many more years. I think it's great that you still have your dad around, I hope he's feeling well.

Lido Beach also brings back some great memories of dances that we used to go to out there. I remember taking my dates to see such groups as The Platters on Friday nights. We had some wonderful times out there.

Anyway, thanks for writing and hope all is well with you and yours. Hope you're able to make the reunion, I'll look up your wife's group and the CD you mentioned.

Good luck and take care,

Steve G.

HEY THERE STEVE, YES MY DAD IS FINE ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. ALL YOU PEOPLE IN FLORIDA ARE NOW SAFE TO WALK AND DRIVE THE STREETS. THEY TOOK MY DADS LICENCE AWAY. HE WAS A REAL BAD DRIVER WAY BACK WHEN. THEN THE YEARS KEPT COMING AND THE CARS KEPT GETTING BURIED INTO THE BACK OF BUSES. I NEVER THOUGHT I WAS EVER GOING TO GET LEFT A CAR FROM MY DAD BUT BEFORE I WENT BACK IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR. I WENT DOWN THERE FOR ANOTHER REASON LATE LAST YEAR AND DROVE HIS CAR BACK HERE.

I CAN TELL YOU THIS. BEING RETIRED FROM SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVED DOING FOR MOST OF YOUR LIFE SUCKS. PEOPLE TELL ME YOU ARE SO LUCKY THAT YOU ARE RETIRED. I TELL THEM IT SUCKS AND THEY LOOK AT ME LIKE I AM NUTS. I TELL THEM IF YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO, DO IT UNTIL YOU CAN'T. MY BODY WENT SOUTH ON ME FAST. BEFORE DOING SETS I WAS A GLASS MAN. INSTALLING CAR WINDSHIELDS AND LOCKSMITH. I ALSO DID STORE FRONTS AND WINDOW GLASS. SO MY BACK IS WACKED WITH DEGENERATED DISKS AND OTHER PROBLEMS. IT'S LIKE I WAS GOING 110 MPH WHEN I WAS WORKING. THEN CAME TO A FAST STOP. I HAVE TO TELL YOU I WAS LOST NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF.

I WAS GETTING UP AT 4:30 A.M. FOR 30 YEARS. NOW SOMETIMES I DON'T GET TO BED UNTIL THEN. UNLESS I HAVE A GOLF GAME OR A RIDE TO MEXICO ON MY BIKE WITH MY BUDDYS.

ANYWAY I AM GOING TO TRY AND MAKE THE REUNION. EVERYONE IS ON MY ASS TO BE THERE. SO I WILL DO MY BEST TO GET THERE.

NICE TALKING TO YOU STEVE. I HOPE ALL IS WELL AND STAYS WELL.

ALL MY BEST, DENNIS

Dennis,

I have a link on the NEW FORUM ( THIS ONE) for the LIver Foundation..  That is for Liver disease caused by such things as HEPITITIS........

Jordan Fox is the main contact, so if you go to the Forum List, and CLICK ON SPECIAL CAUSES AND FUND RAISERS, you can find out more info.

OK THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP...ALL MY BEST.. DENNIS

Ok, good. What does that mean?

Well Steve,

somebody, and I won't mention any names, couldn't sleep and was messing around on the forum and screwed up......so we got this.......

hopefully things will go back to normal.....

Ok Dawn...that clears it up. Lol.

Hi Dennis,

In 1964 I worked at Bodack's ( the food store where Mazar's is located now)..I was a cashier but got fired because my Father got tickets for us to see The Beatles at Shea stadium.....It was worth it...the concert was fab, in spite of the fact we heard NOTHING!! Went with Joanne Selig and Joan Griminger...

Barbara Binenbaum

HI BARBRA, HOW ARE YOU? I HOPE THINGS ARE WELL. LIFE HAS JUST FLOWN BYE.

I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THEY PLAYED SSHEA ALSO, SEEMS LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.

I KNOW MOST OF US TAKE NOTHING BUT GOOD MEMORIES FROM  GROWING UP IN THE HOOD.

IT'S FUNNY THOUGH, THAT IN CALIF. THE PENIAL CODE # FOR MURDER IS 187. WHEN I WAS LIVING IN CALIF. FOR ALL THOSE YEARS THATS ALL YOU HEARD. SO WHEN I HEARD HE OR SHE GOT ARRESTED FOR 187. I ALWAYS THOUGHT OF OUR BELOVED SCHOOLYARD.

STAY WELL AND GIVE MY BEST TO ALL, DENNIS G

I worked for Dale Drugs when I was 17, driving their VW bug, delivering drugs throughout Beech Hills and Deepdale. What a fun job! Occassionally I tended the cash register. Dont forget also DELIVERING Newsday, the Long Island Star Journal, for less than $10/week! Good money back then.

I was saddened to hear that George the Waiter at Fra Diavolo died. Corey also waited tables there. Great picture of Chow Chow Cup, and the chinese restaurant was named Joy Wah! Thanks for the memories! Keep them coming, classmates!

Mickey

one of the guys from my era, Mattie Wiener also worked for Dale Drug.  I learned to drive a stick shift on that bug.

where did you hear about George, and when did he pass away.  boy what great memories of an individual I have of "good old George"

Hey Dave, I have some great memories of George and Fra's. I used to bus for those guys. There were 2 young guys, can't remember their names, but they were great and used to pick on me mercilessly. They were both blonde and they took me to the beach one time and I fell asleep and woke up looking like a lobster,and they were laughing their butts off. Another time I almost cut off my finger whole slicing there great Italian bread...not a pretty picture. I still have the scar.

But George was the man. I loved working with him and he always looked out for me. But I thought he passed away years ago around the time Fra's closed. No?

Steve G.

Dear Dave,

Steve Gordons post of 3/30/09 stated that Waiter George from Fra Diavolo died.

Matty Wiener was Eddie Wiener's Brother! Eddie and I (along with Mark Schwartz and Pee Wee Pearlstein) were best friends, often sitting on the Benches outside 246-25 57th Drive, along with Murray Kampf, Gil and Lester Solnin, Charlotte Lustig, Evie Cassell, Stewy Schwartz, Marty Zwerin (later younger brother Glenn - who was a better basketball player). Irving Sonkin and Matty played hoops with us YOUNGER kids. Matty and Eddie and parents all moved to the DENVER area years ago!

Mickey