Stanley M. Siegel

...because if you don't write it down, it will be lost forever.

                      

Penrod climbed upon a barrel, stood on tiptoe,
grasped the rim of the box; then, using a knot-hole
as a stirrup, threw one leg over the top, drew himself
up, and dropped within.

 Standing upon the packed sawdust, he was just tall enough to see over the top.

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Why Penrod? All I can remember -- about books from my childhood -- is that Booth Tarkington's "Penrod" series were books that I read over and over again.

I don't really remember the stories, don't remember if Penrod was a childhood idol.

I do remember, however, that I liked the books and they, along with another "magic orange filter" book which I received when I had the measles, are high on my lis of rememberances.

Go figure!

 

 

GROWING UP...

1590 West 8th Street, in Brooklyn, was the apartment house address I remember. Apartment 2J, I think.

I was about 5 when I was enrolled in school -- not Public School -- but Yeshiva Ohel Moshe. This gave me a heads up when I transferred to Public School and entered 1st grade, at age 6 with 7-year old classmates.

Simultaneously I attended Hebrew School -- Mr. Bardashevsky (or something like that) -- Mr. B. taught us Hebrew, Torah, praying, and Jewish Law, all in preparation for Bar Mitzvah -- which is another story, soon to be added.

I remember a few friends -- by name only during those formative years; Bob Cohen who lived on west 10th, Alan Mandelbaum (who years later went to fight for Israel's independence). Bob Livingston, guys named Ronnie, Silvio, Ken, Paul Sub and others.

I belonged to the neighborhood club -- The Dominoes. We had purple and white satin jackets with our Domino "logo" and name embroidered thereon. How cool was that.

Played a lot of basketball -- mostly pickup games at the local school gym or park. Had tournaments and fared mostly average.

Played a lot of handball -- the real "black ball" kind as well as "red ball" Spalding kind.

Other games: Hide and Go Seek; Countries; Ringalevio -- Ringalevio is a variation of Hide and Seek. There are two teams, runners and chasers. Chasers stand inside a circle, eyes closed counting to 100 while the runners hide in area. The chasers begin to hunt and when a runner is caught, the chaser shouts "ringalevio" and the runner is taken to base. The idea is to capture all runners but a speedy runner can save his friends by stepping inside the circle (without being caught). When all runners are captured change sides. -- Stoop Ball; Touch Football; various types of Marbles (or Immies); Jack Knife; Box Ball; Cards (flipping baseball cards). I'll think of more and add them in.

We had two movie theaters within walking distance: the Highway on Kings Highway, and the Marlboro on Avenue O. My grandmother used to give me empty milk bottles which I would redeem at the grocery store and use the money received for a ticket to the show on Saturday afternoons.

At one time we (can't remember who all the "we" were) had a "Club Room" in someone's basement. No TV then, radio and record player perhaps, but don't remember anything special about it other than it was a place to go and hang out.

 more to come...

If you want/need to reach me, email me at: stan@stanleymsiegel.com just click on the address.