My Brooklyn (301)

Russell Burch

I was born in the Cumberland Hospital in Ft. Greene, 1962. My Brooklyn begins at 88 St. Edwards St., apt. 1A Ft Greene Projects. I had three brothers and two sisters. I was never alone. Sometimes on Saturdays morning my brothers had to take me with them to the "Mighty Mo" (the Majestic Movie theatre) on Fulton Street. I would love to go to the A&P on Myrtle Ave. with my family to shop or just go to my corner store Saljay to get some nowlaters candy, or some Boston baked bean candy. My mom would send me to the corner store with a list and one of men that worked in the store would get the items off the list and write the total price of all the items I had. When I gave him the money to pay for the items he would just put the change in the bag and I would take it to my mom. I was around five or six then. When my mom didn't feel like cooking she would love to get take-out from Chicken Delight ("Don't cook tonight, call Chicken Delight") on Myrtle Ave. I didn't know anything about KFC then. All the food in Brooklyn was great like getting a piece of Junior's cheesecake, the best in the world, Nathan's hot dogs and Fries at Coney Island, and I remember the Shabazz steak and take restaurant, on the corner of Myrtle Ave. and Flatbush Extension. I eating pizza by the slice that you fold in half and it's isn't good until the oil drips down your arm or the cheese would be so hot that it would burn the roof of your mouth. Now that's pizza! I also remember all the old street games: stoopball, tops, red-light, green-light, punchball, skullys and only in Brooklyn my favorite game, RINGOLEVIO. Around Christmas time Downtown Fulton St. was all lights and beautiful decorations at May's, E. J. Korvette's and A&S department store was the best. Having snow fights in P.S. 67's schoolyard to just walking around the area and seeing different color light in other people's window decorations in the projects too. I miss playing in the water from the johnny pump that was in front of P.S. 67. I went to P.S. 67 with teachers named Mr. Gray the music teacher, Mr. Greensburg the art teacher, Mr. Newman, and Ms. Price. These teachers made school interesting. The school trips that we went on were to the Brooklyn Museum and the Botanic Gardens. Then I went to Sands J.H.S. but in the my 8th year the school changed its name to Susan Smith McKinney J.H.S. I never knew why but it will always be Sands to me. I left Brooklyn in 1984 for the Navy with a wife and my oldest daughter. Today I'm still in the Navy but I only have three more years for my retirement date. I live in Florida now; I have five children and still come back to Brooklyn to see my mom so I have a wonderful excuse to visit quite often. Yes, my mom just couldn't stand to leave Brooklyn too. My mom only moved once that I know of and that was to 60 St. Edwards St., just around the corner. If anybody out there remembers my brothers and sisters, or my Brooklyn e-mail me and I will look you up when I come back to visit.

10 November 2000

Stephanie Villanova

My Brooklyn is a world of several neighborhoods, between the years 1960-94. Attended kindergarten at P.S. 161 in Crown Heights, where my father moved us to the newly opened Ebbets Field Houses (a fanatic Dodger fan). Today, they're called the Jackie Robinson Houses. I think our apartment was over home plate! From 1966-74, I lived in Boro Park at Dahill Rd. and 18th Ave.; attended P.S. 192. Where's the old gang from 44th St.—Suzanne Rella, the Hickman kids and others who played Red Light, Green Light; Giant Step; and other games on our block, using the trees as bases? Remember the rides that would come to the block—a little Ferris wheel, the Whip? From 1974-1983, lived in East Flatbush on E. 40th St.; attended S. J. Tilden H.S. Remember spending a lot of time at the new Kings Plaza Mall during that disco decade. Where's Jill Cohen, the Chanin twins and others from the class of '77? From 1983-94, lived in Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, near Shore Road, where Korvettes used to be. So many fond memories of days at Coney Island and the B&B Carousel; huge movie houses like the Walker on 18th Ave., the Beverly, the Loew's Oriental; Maxie's candy store on 18th Ave.; Mrs. Calouri at P.S. 192; days in Prospect Park. Since 1994, I've been an exile, lost in Yonkers, but I still return to visit family. While much is gone, much is still beautiful in my old hometown.

12 November 2000