The Greatest Story Never Told

Chapter 4 - 50 Stockholm Street Bushwick

We'd challenge each other to weekend games and when game-time came around it was a huge block event. All the neighbors would sit on their stoops or hang out their windows watching the nine inning game or the double-header from up high. Because of it, the block during games felt much like freaking Yankee Stadium! And, if you hit a homerun or a base clearing grand slam homer, the whole block would erupt into screaming your name and cheered as we rounded the bases. It was glorious! I can't think of anything that made a young boy feel such joy. I learned in time that I had some homerun power, and lived to hit the long-ball. Remember this baseball story because there is a reason why baseball was my passion. Back then, I didnt know why though...

I wasnt a party boy or dancer back then. Oh, I loved music, and came from a family of music lovers and record buyers. My mother and Blaine were avid record buyers, so there was always plenty of vinyl around the house, and we kids listened to it every chance we got. But, going out to parties wasn't my cup of tea. Yet, all of that would change in time due to a decision my mother made. My older sister Delores was 18-19 years old and was starting to go out to parties and dances regurlarly in the neighborhood. I never went. She would go out, but mom made her take Joanie along, for observation and reporting. I guess Joanie's reports about Delores's party activities made mom intensify Delores's party supervision. Im sure she heard, 'They dance real close in the dark, with most of the lights out, and the people kiss alot while they dance slow.'

As a result, yours truly became the 'designated' party eye for Delores. So, I started going to these basement and dancehall parties with her. Whenever the guy she was dancing with made his sexually charged moves while slow dancing, they called it 'Grindin,' I would step in and try to break it up as best I could. I was only fifteen. The guys were in their 20s. After the Dj switched up to the faster paced music, I listened to the grooves and breaks and it began to grow on me. I'd stand against the wall while Delores took to the floor as they rocked Earth Wind and Fire, The Jackson 5, The O'jays, all the music you've seen and heard on Soul Train back in the 70's. It all began to take root in me. It wasnt long after that I started to come off the wall to dance. it inexplicably became addicting to me. Soon, I started asking Delores on Wednesday if she was going out on Friday! It eventually became a problem which caused conflict between Hiawatha and me. 

I started branching off from Delores, heading out to parties and 'sets' on my own thrown by Bushwick dancers who by word of mouth planned parties. There were so many hole in the wall joints blasting music in Bushwick, and they all morphed into full blown Discotheques.  Soon, I took on the street name of 'Ace' and became a regular at the discos. Sure, I still played handball, stickball and basketball with all of my homeboys, but Disco became the love of my life, even to this day. I began to dress right, and go out until the break of dawn which Hiawatha hated. As I would head out the door to go party hardy, he'd be at the door saying, 'Be home by eleven.' I'd say, 'Okay,' knowing damn well I was coming back home tomorrow! It became more and more of an issue.

At around this time, Herbert moved from Sheeepehead Bay to Bedford-Stuyvesant, a mile and a half from Bushwick. I began to visit him and Odessa. Herbert became the neighborhood bootlegger, making a killing on weekends, especially on Sundays when the liquor stores where closed. He had a policy. All paper money was his, and all change was mine. So, whenever I'd come over he'd hand me a shitload of coinage which I converted to paper. I was sixteen then, and it wasnt until that summer that I was old enough to get my working papers and take a summer job. But, that changed sure helped me.