Shakespearean Jackasses

Boy do I have a story for you, I was in the park last Saturday for a little get together and one of the guys had brought along a very small amp and his guitar. After about 15 minutes or so, some people come over and said "hey guys, do you think you can keep it down just a little bit please, we are trying to put on a play for the community". The fucking nerve of these people. This absolutely left me dumb founded and insulted. 1st off, the people putting on the play were not even from this neighborhood and the people that were watching it did not speak english, well maybe a little bit. See my neighborhood is filled with South American people and Asians. Most of them do not speak english. These people that were in the park putting on the play were transplants from Idaho or some shit who now live in Park Slope. They really had no biz in the park that they were in. They needed to take that shit to Prospect park. I still can not believe the nerve they had coming over and asking us to be quiet. It was wrong on so many levels that I dont even know where to start. I mean its the park. Its for everyone and this is not even there community. Dont you need a permit or some shit to hold court in the park like that? The crazy shit is if this was like 5 years ago they would have gotten all there shit took by the Latin Kings. This park use to be there main hang out. And here you have Biff and Jenifer putting on a play thinking that it is all good in this park. Nobody wants these people here. As I keep saying in all my other posts, ONE MORE EXAMPLE of us losing are community to people who do not belong here. I wanted to throw water balloons at them, but it took 5 minutes too long to finally get my nerve up and when I did, some of the people in my group went over and told them in a nice way, hey look. The park is for everyone so knock that shit off. At this point they were wrapping up their play so I lost my chance. Dam I was disappointed. I had filled up 10 water balloons and I was ready for war. Next time I wont wait so long. You know, there is a golden rule of thumb that needs to be shared and that is.... There are some places you just do not belong ,no matter how tough you are or who you are. If you dont have a reason to be there then you do not belong there and that goes for all over the world. Thats why a lot of times people get hurt. By the way, Nico if you are reading this, thanks for the title of this post and being the person you are. The world need more people like you homes and how about that beer!

Who Are Your Friends?

Growing up in NYC, I would see strange people in the neighborhood on a regular basis and after a while it just became a normal thing. For the most part they didnt really bother anyone, they were just an eye sore at worst. As I got older, I got to know some of these people. Some were Nam vets, homeless, crack heads and some of them were just out of there fucking skull. The one thing that they did all have in common, is that they all had a really good story to tell. My mother had this one friend, he was about in his late 60's early 70's. They called him Bird Man. He got this name because he would hide in door ways where you couldnt see him if you were walking by. His thing would be to jump out behind people and scare the shit out of him by making loud & crazy bird noises. To me at that age, I thought it was funny as hell and to this day I still laugh my ass off. The crazy thing was you could talk to him like if he wasnt crazy and he could hold a normal conversation with you, But in reality he was fucked up in the head. There was another dude in my neighborhood that was old as well. About the same age and this guy would roll through the hood on skates and a tennis racket in his hand. Why he had the racket? God only knows. I would see him every where I went. One thing that sticks out in my head about him is..... I was in McDonald's getting some food on 71 st & Bway and he was in there trying to rap to the girl behind the counter. He told here can I have a sunday on a Monday and I thought that was the funniest thing ever. He was definitely a kook. Then there was this homeless lady (bag lady) who had a I Love Lucy hair cut and she also rock'd two pairs of glass'. As a kid I really could not understand any of this. It was all bazaar. She would always be screaming and cursing. Saying things in German and she was always hanging in P.S.87 school yard where I would hang out and play as a kid. The other kids would throw things at her to watch her flip out. Now that Im older I know it wasnt right (not that I through things at her). Whats really crazy is that as I got older These were the people that I became friends with because I had no friends. All the other kids didnt want to play with me because my mother was fucked up on drugs so they all made fun of me (its all good). It got to the point where I would walk down the Upper West Side and all the bums, people selling books, pan handlers and homeless knew me. I would walk by and they would say shit like "yo spunky, you ok? here... here's a dollar and stay out of trouble). Spunky was my moms pet name for me and everyone knew me by it in the hood. I hated it them, but I miss it now. By being friends with all these wack jobs (because thats what they were) it helped in a weird way guide me through life. I miss that feeling of being able to walk down the street and everyone knowing me. Thats just more proof of our communities disappearing. Once and a while when I return to the old hood, I still see some of those people around and its crazy because they know me from my daughters age and she will be right there with me when I run into these people. At some point things will always come full circle.

Coney Island Pictures

Last Ride!

Tonight I saw something that made me pleasantly surprised. I have found a place were it's nothing but real New Yorkers right down to the bone. A place where people came to let loose and have some good Summer fun. Now I always knew about it, but only now have I rediscovered Coney Island. Before in the past I would have never noticed, but to come to the conclusion that NYC is dieing fast. I realised I forgot all about Coney Island. People of all sorts were there letting it all hang out. The freaks, families, teenagers and the homeless. And in the midst of it all while I was waiting for my family to get off the Tilt O' World. It hit me! I didnt see one person that looked like a fashion disaster or someone try'n to be who they were not. No outta towners and no tourists. It was like a moment of clarity were everything made sence. Pure bliss. There was one dude who was in a skirt and a skimpy top w/ the tits stuffed.

He was dancing his ass off and enjoying him self. He didnt bother any one and no one bothered him. Never the less people were entertained and he enjoyed it. It was the perfect summer night with my family. It's only a matter of time before thats took en too from us. For now, Im gonna take it all in one last time before its gone. I treasure the pictures I have taken it the past years. You can strip me of my city, but you will not take away my memories and what lies in my heart and soul.

The Independent Man Will Soon Be Gone!

In my eyes New York was at one time a full contact sport. Everything was physical. From the way things were made to the people that made em and of course the people who lived it everyday. People really did care for one another and took an interest in the things they came across in everyday life. Now with all the outta towners that have moved here, they have severed a lot of communities with gentifing the neighborhoods. They have moved to the hoods in the mass driving up the rents and forcing people to leave. With the mass' moving here, they have brought along corporate America. Now, people cant afford the rent and are forced out of business. Who wants to really shop in an over crowded store with people who have no interest in who you are or may be not willing to let you go for $.50 because you dont have it. Last I thought (which can be dangerous) New York was a melting pot. You can go to a store and by things from your country. Variety was key and it was authentic. Mom & Pop hardware store's with owner's who cared about there communities. Let me ask you this? Who the fuck orders domino's pizza when NYC has the best pizza hands down. I just dont get it man! Its one of the things that connected communities together. With the death of many things in NYC. Are  choices, diversity and are communities are being robbed faster then crack heads suck tokens out of turn styles. In my heart New York is a thing of the past and it kills me. At least when I return to the Upper West, I can go into Big Nicks and look at the dude and he says " whats up brotha, how you? good?" Man, thats a great feeling especially when he knows me since 1988 because thats how long he's been there. The doorman on 77st right off Bway, he knows me just as long too and now I return to visit with my own kid. Its bugged out, but its what NYC was all about. Now a days nobody knows nobody and nobody says anything to anyone. New York has be come a gay ass sterile place in the rest of corporate America along with a soft Times Sq. looking like fucking Disney and shit. IDUNO man, I cant call it, but as long as I am still here in NYC, I will keep that old blood flowing with my crew.

This Use To Be A Great Country

In my eyes the United States once was a really great country. Now I dont know what to call it. Dont get me wrong, its still a place I want to live, but its just not the same place I once really loved. I spent 8 years in the Navy for my country. Even in the military, things are not the same. When I was in the service at 1st, it was all about taking care of your people. Towards the end nobody cared about anybody and your family was put second. As for this country, we use to build great products that lasted and we stood behind the things we made with a certain pride. People really stood up for one another and now no one really cares about the next person. Its funny, growing up I use to think Al Sharptin was douche. Now that I am older and he is still around, how ever you feel about him, he is still here and he is the same person sticking up for human rights. He is one of the last like this. I just dont see this country coming together for the greater good of man kind. Kids are out of control thinking they can do what they want. Adults cant even correct these out of control kids. You will wind up getting shanked. I tell you boy...... When I was growing up and an adult said "hey what are you doing, stop that", you listened and if the adult knew your mom or dad. You were done if they told your parents. If it was not a fixed object in the house, I might of got it up side the head. These days if you say something to the parents, the parents are like "who the fuck are you and what are you doing with my kid". Its bad out here. It doesnt seem like anybody is accountable any more. The country has gotten greedy, everything is done for the love of money and not for the passion. Buildings look like shit that they are putting up and they are made out of paper. There was a time not to long ago when every job involved a skill. Even with advertisements on the side of buildings, they were hand painted. There are periods of architecture that dont exist any more because its all being torn down for monstrosities that are eye sores in my city's sky line. I could go on for days about this, but I will say this! Its all about to come back and bite us in the ass now with inflation, gas and the way things are going. All your fancy buildings that us true New Yorkers cant afford are not being filled. The economy is about to crash and the ugly head of the gully 80's & 90's is about to rear it self once more and for all you non New Yorkers (thats you! the hipsters art fags and outta towners) that think its sweet, you will become food. Keep moving closer to the hood forcing people out and breaking up there communities. Us old New Yorkers will not take it much longer. So beware and you have been warned.

R.I.P. Washington Sq Fountain

This shit really mad me MAD as fuck. I could care less for what ever is built here after the fact. This city soon will have all its history ripped out and the things that matter most to us true New Yorkers as well. This is was a place for people with all kinds of an interests and also a place where people would make a living . For me personally it was a place of many memories like others. They are of good times and bad times. I remember this hispanic dude who is a NYC legend, at least in my eyes. He used to jump garbage cans from one skate board to another. Like 8 or 9 of them. The dude was nice with it and got paid. I my self used to skate here often with many people (R.I.P. Harold & Justin) who are True legends. I can remember one time skating with them and a whole bunch more. I herd a loud pop pop pop and I had thought it was gun shots like an m16 or something, but what it was, was an old lady had lost control of her car and hit a lot of benches with people on them. It was horrible, one man was with out a head another with a metal pipe from the fencing through his throat and many more fucked up. Still in all, this was a place where the best come to play chess and still do, a place where people gathered for the pot day parade and to kick politics in there own way through music and in other ways. Now that the fountain is gone. It just another thing lost in the New York that I once knew.

Old New York

Summers In NYC

Growing up in NYC, this is what the summer was all about as a kid. You went out side and played. As a kid, we were never bored. We would make up games and make use of everything in the city from old matters' to flip on to riding the back of the out side train car. Growing up in NYC used to be fun. These days, you cant do much with all the rules they have come up with or rather that they enforce now. At least kids can still crack open the pump. Its a shame kids stay glued to the tv and computer playing games getting fat. 

True New Yorker

Hello to the world, I'm new to this but I have Mad knowledge.

This is my 1st post so bare with me and since that is the case I will start with an intro about me! Who I am is not important, but what I gots to say is. I'm born in 1976 and I have lived here my whole life in NYC. I'm from a very broken home and have seen just about all NYC has to give and I have been apart of a lot of it. So what I talk about is from the heart and soul of a TRUE NEW YORKER from the gutter. You may agree or you may not, but we are all in titled to what we think (thats why this is the USA).

I have seen many changes and I have been apart of some. I have beat the odds against me in life. Why I dont know. Maybe fate, but anyways I do know I have GREAT stories and pictures. So stay tuned and you wont be disappointed.  I will pick up another time. Peace to all my TRUE NEW YORKERS. 

One Love, Old New York 1976