Until I was six years old, my family lived on 11th Avenue and 64th Street in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn. The area was almost totally Italian and as far as I could tell at that age, we were the only Jewish family living there. Still, we were never subjected to even a hint of antisemitism, but were instead treated with great respect, even deference.
Thanks. I remember more about those days than from after we moved to a better neighborhood. One day I saw this enormous rod-like thing sticking up from the back bumper of a Cadillac, which belonged to a local big shot. I was fascinated by it and so twisted it until it came off. When I went in to show my mother, who was working behind the counter, she turned white. It was an antenna for a car phone, one of the very few around. When she saw the owner on the street, she ran out and began to apologize profusely. When the guy found out it was me who had done it, he just guffawed. "Hahaha, that Larry's gonna be big trouble for you one day." And that was the end of it. Of course, he turned out to be right.
Great story! A real life "Goodfellas" vignette. Anyone interested in old time mafia lore, read this.
Thanks. I remember more about those days than from after we moved to a better neighborhood. One day I saw this enormous rod-like thing sticking up from the back bumper of a Cadillac, which belonged to a local big shot. I was fascinated by it and so twisted it until it came off. When I went in to show my mother, who was working behind the counter, she turned white. It was an antenna for a car phone, one of the very few around. When she saw the owner on the street, she ran out and began to apologize profusely. When the guy found out it was me who had done it, he just guffawed. "Hahaha, that Larry's gonna be big trouble for you one day." And that was the end of it. Of course, he turned out to be right.