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Barry Flanagan
18-Oct-2007 18:54
I've taken the hill behind the 'factory' on 61st - on both a snow sled and a homemade contraption with skate wheels. It was a bitch at the bottom, that was a sharp blind turn there - and who know's what's waiting on the other side - parked car, kids, a mom with groceries. And we did put it back in the carriage room, right near where the washing machines were. And we played in the boat and barrels and on the monkey bars in the playground, and we played hockey and basketball in the playground. Did you know that Little Anthony (from the Imperials - 'I think I'm going out of my head') lived in the Phipps Houses and so did Thelonious Monk who could frequently be seen hanging out by the Century Bar and Grill on Amsterdam.
Barry Flanagan
18-Oct-2007 18:40
Yeah!!!!!!! Uncle Ben and Mike the Ice Cream Man - and Hank the porter - I knew them all. ONe time Uncle Ben told me I was the greatest roller skater he had ever seen. I was on cloud nine - didn't know he was just talking trash to make a boy feel good.
And Mike the icecream man didn't just have icecream. He had ALL KNOWN candy on the planet. A daily visit to his stand down by the Phipps houses cul de sac (we didn't know that word then) was a must. I still miss him. Hey - does anyone remember 'Black Larry,' the housing guard? I know the name is most definitely politically incorrect, and I'm not sure he knew he was called that - but man, if there was trouble in the projects, the man could walk at 35 mph, keys and cuffs and whatever dangling and jangling. He'd be on the scene so fast you'd barely have enough time to flee. He was scary. Gotta go.
