October 1968 - June 1969
1158 Boyton Ave New York
James Monroe Highschool
"Do you have Hairy chest?" A cute Bronx girls question in passing.
I coudl barely understand her question becasue of the Bronx accent.
This was a very daunting first encounter with New York Girls.
What i loved? Pizza and the Hotdogs.
Manhattan was big
Celebrities
Norman Mailer
Lyndon Larouche
H Rap Brown
Stokley Charmichael
John Trudell (AIM)
YSA forum lectures
SMC student mobilization committee.
Paul Boutelle
Street gangs and Mafia control
Alice , George's girlfriend and her two Daughters both around my age 15-17 Very sweet girls , Puerto Rican background taught me latin Dance steps.
The Older daugher rode horses at a stable in Brighton Beach, Probably th eonly money I made in New york other than alowance was from cleaning stalls at that stable.
I wish I remembered their names but I dont. My memories of them are pleasant and friendly. One read my Palm , she said I had a Long life line and woudl have 3 children (correct)
She showed me the hidden numbers on th eback of a $5 bill (3172) in th ehedges right side of th ebuilding on the back. I think they change dth ebill in odern ones it's not there.
Roland Lagere and his sister (later met in berkeley 1971 -72)
Nickel bags of Pot
Friend perhaps Roland stowed away n SF bound Airplanes from JFK to SFO
In Berkkeley I had been puying pot for abou t$100 a kilo. in New York it was selling for about $5.00 a graam in a nickle stamp bag. the Profit potential was apparent and immensel I told my frind of som eof my COntacts in Berkeley and he then went to Berkeley as a stow away on commercial airplanes. purchased the pot and brough ti back to New York.
He did this several times , enough times to both Emancipate himself and get an apartment of his own and unfortunatley get th eattention of the local Mafia. I remember going to his apartment one day and walked intothe Foyer and the door to his apartment was gone. I looked inside and it was deserted and he was gone.
THe next time I saw Roland was in Berkeley a couple years later. when he told me how th emob was breaking down his door as he grabbed his cash and jumped out of th eback window and went straight tothe Airport and flew out to the west coast. A few months later I saw His sister and asked abou tRoland, she sadly told me that his Jealous girlfriend had stabbed him to death.
Events Dec 31 1968 Nw Years eve TImes square Saw people floating on the crowd no room to fall down drunk, Amazing.
James Monrow Gang leader confrontation in school
Challenged by this guy in class wo said "What did you say about my mother?" I proceeded to tell him alot about his mother. we immediatley went to blows. We were seperated and sentothe office. After some "Counseling" it was over the next day at lunc th eGuy I was fighting came up and said 'We tought you were a california Pussy and that you woudl be buying us lunch" But you are pretty tough and you are OK with us. Phew ! Life went on , severalmonths later I walked intothe Bathroom to take a leak and as I entered I heard th edistinctivesound of a gun bold slaming into battery . I turned my head to se the Guy I had fought with and his buddy with a pair of Smith and Wesson Model 76 Submachine guns. I smiled and greeted them and then went calmly about my business and left the restroom. Kept my cool but henceforth whenI needed to go I wen thome which was only 2 blocks from school
Guns in School? LOL Math teacher tall red headed teacher with glasses and curly hair word a green tweed sport jacket, one day he was gesturing at an expression on the black vboard when he exposed his shoulder holster and his 38 fell on the floor.
Woodstock Music festival? Tickets were on sale in May June I heard it was going to be a thing not to miss. Abot that time My dad called and asked if I wanted to come back to California. Idid and forgot all about Woodsock..
More minor New York tales.
Dad sent me to NY becasue I was a handful in Berkeley, My GrandmaBeulah was always my mentor and I always had total respect and obedience to her.
It was a tough place but I had Beulahs love and supprt . A perfect tim eout for me and a time in a hellish place.
Learned a lot about Entrepreneuial spirit from Beulah.
George was there and he tired but George was Manic depressive PTSD Korean war vet. Goerge did take me to a friend on Madison ave and he gave me a tour of his commercail Photography lab and business. It was inspirational .fed my life long love of Photography.
