THE GOOD OLD DAYS…

I remember the Brach’s displays. You would buy it by weight and put all the varieties in a bag. The royals along with cinnamon candies etc. My brother paid $100 for that stupid pong game back in the day. He never was very bright. I’d rather play foosball, air hockey, or pinball at the arcade

Fli-Back had a boiler fuel underground tank inside one of their buildings. They had declared bankruptcy, a bank hired me to do the enironmental work so they could sell it, think that was 1991 or ’92. Got two paddles for my daughters, they drove me nuts until both “strings” broke.

The top pyramid picture made me find some pics I took with my black & white 1967 Polaroid Camera of a bunch of guys (all of us 17, 18, 19, and one was 22 0r 23) in a posed pyramid in a park and then later at a party the summer of 67.

Drinking age was 21 in Jersey then…but 18 in Staten Island 25 minutes away so beer was no problem from the time most of us were 15 on.

I had organized the pyramid and took a lot of pics with that high tech camera back in that day.

Quick history of the 9 guys of the summer of 67 in the pics.

Two of us ended up in Nam…but we both made it back. However Louie (the other Nam Vet) died in his mid-30’s (he had 3 kids and a beautiful wife) of raging diabetes. Word was he ignored it until it was too late.

Howie (Louie’s best buddy) was always awkward with girls…but fell in love with pot and other drugs in the late 60’s, soon went up the ladder and then was hooked on heroin…last time I saw him at a local bar (in the mid 70’s) he was strung out and died from an overdose not long after.

Frankie was also awkward with girls, was raised by his single Mom in an apartment with an older brother who was in prison all through high school for stealing cars, he was 22 or 23 when he got out in 67. Right after HS Frankie started dating his very first girlfriend…I left for the military…he got married and then has six kids one right after another…like steps on a stairs. Kept him out of the draft and last I heard (in the late 70’s) they were happy…but struggling financially.

Frankie’s older brother (who is in one of the pictures and had just gotten out of prison) never was able to fit in and evidently had become a punch in prison. He was a creep…a sad guy…and in that day was considered ahhhh…wimpy. He was out less than a year and went back in for stealing another car. Thing is he drove it around far, far too long…word was he wanted back in…that was his home. I believe that was the truth after being around him a few times.

Bobby got married young, kids, good job, avoided the draft/Nam and last I heard (ran into his Mother in the late 70’s) was living happily ever after.

Two brothers, Jack and Steve…Jack had seven kids before he was 30 but chain smoked himself into an early grave. Steve, who hit the lottery big died in bankruptcy (and had three divorcees along the way). They both are there with beers in hand drunk and grinning.

Then there is Fast Eddie…poker player – game organizer, 9 ball pool shark. I sold him a 60 Olds right after I got out of the Military…my sister was driving it while I was gone. He tried to welch on the $100 I sold it to him for. Caught him in his apartment after him dodging me for over a month. After some heated words I shoved him back and told him to put up his hands as I raised mine and moved in. Fast Eddie found $35 fast. I told him I would be back for the rest in a week…he disappeared soon after like the Road Runner. Never saw or heard about or could find him again. I did hear I wasn’t the only looking for him.

There are two guys in the pics whose names I can’t remember…and I have no idea what happened to them…after the pyramid and the party.