Snapshots of life

Today’s blog is just some little snippets that came to me as I was trying to decide what to write. I guess you could say they are snapshots of life. We don’t remember whole summers we remember instances. Sometimes sights, sometimes sounds or even a smell.

These are all Red Hook memories for me but I guess most of them would fit many who grew up elsewhere.

My mother wearing the mink is always dreamed of but never thought she would have. She was so proud of that stole. The best thing I ever bought in my life.

Meeting up with friends to go to the pool on a hot summer day. The towel rolled up under your arm.

Sitting in Tony’s looking at the picture of Custer’s Last stand. Waiting for the best pizza ever. I have yet to find a pizza close to Tony’s.

The feeling of a solid connection when your bat hits the ball. It doesn’t matter if it’s baseball or softball. Hell even stickball. In the same game the feeling when you throw your curve and it breaks better than a major league pitcher’s. Yelling to your friends “Did you see that?” If only you knew how you did that.

Watching out the school window as they started putting up the tents and rides for the bazaar. Wondering why they were taking so long.

The Bazaar itself. The smell of cotton candy and Chow Mein on a bun. The sounds of the rides and the excitement we felt. Thinking back about it you realize that the bazaar was actually no big deal. But Oh, what would you give to be able to go back and experience again it just for a day.

Walking across the bridge over the Gowanus canal on 9th St. The old bridge that would shake like it was going to fall whenever a car went over it. On the way to the Prospect or the Avon to see the latest Peter Sellers movie with your friends.

Sitting with your friends arguing over who is better The Beatles or the Stones. I will always be a Beatles man.

Making prank phone calls. We met two groups of girls that way.

These are just a few things I thought of. I hope some of them brought back a good memory to you. Don’t live in the past but don’t forget it either. It made you who you are. Most of your life is memories. The present goes by too quickly and the future is closed to us. To be without memories is to be without life.