New York New York it's a wonderful place. At lease New York was a wonderful place when I was growing up there. I grew up in a mixed neighborhood. Mainly Italians, Irish, Germans and a sprinkling of Jew and Spanish. It was great! I think that's where I get my love for different nationalities. I loved the Italians with their warm outgoing nature, their gusto for life their smiles their food .We lived in tall buildings and as you went up each floor you could smell what everyone was having that night. I still believe that Irish eyes do smile. When Mrs. Murphy talked with that lovely brogue, I thought she was saying magical words. It was English but that lilt made it sound playful like she knew something no one else did. I learned a lot about Ireland through her. I love tea, Irish lace, Irish soda bread, And I loved Father Macarthy, talk about laughing eyes even when he was being stern, his eyes took the sting out of it. What a priest they don't make them like him anymore. The Germans I knew were not nazi Germans they were friendly, warm, polite, helpful people who greeted you warmly and always stopped to say something nice. My Jewish teachers were extremely patient and helpful. I learn about Broadway shows, music, art and history not just everyday stuff but, things that I would not of know about in our socio economical working class sphere. And then there was us. Just a few of us at that time, the Spanish we weren't called Latinos then. And in that neighborhood and at that time we all got along pretty good. The clashes came latter on. You see my Neighborhood was West 68^th street were West Side story took place. When I watch that movie I can actually see the apartment we lived in at the beginning of the movie, and my old elementary school P.S. 94. When we left West 68th things were beginning to change, Am glad I can remember my old neighborhood when it was still a tightly knit community. It was a great place to grow up in. My children grew up in New Jersey, in a home of their own, their own backyard, their own room's .a pool, and pool table alas all the amenities that form part of the American dream. I think they were happy, I certainly hope they were .I slept with my sister in a Castro convertible sofa in the living room. Our pool was the fire hydrant, the adults would open for us, in the summer time until the cops would come, and shut it down though lots of times they would turn a blind eye it was great! I belong to a community center, and in the summer we would take field trips to the museum, library, and Central Park. After I was married I came back to Central Park I look all over the park, trying to find the statue of a German shepherd dog, I used to talk to and hug as a child. I found him, I was so glad! It wasn't just a dream. We played hopscotch on the street, red light green light. Roller-skated, road bicycles. And just plain old sat on the stoops and talked. We used to go on the rooftops and jump from one roof to an other. I would put myself in the dumbwaiter {where people put their garbage to lower it down to the furnace} and pull my self up; I must have been crazy! Or young, very young. At Harrington's candy store you could buy hours of bliss for a nickel and meet everyone in the neighborhood too. In my bed I could hear the fog horns from the boats on the Hudson. They always sounded so sad, even though, they made me think of all the far away places, I would visit someday. There's nothing like walking around the city when it's snowing at Christmas time or all the vegetable stands brimming with pumpkins and pomegranates in October or all the people dress up in their best for Sunday mass at Easter. Or stopping at a soda fountain for an egg cream. Or a Sabbrett street hot dog. They just taste better from the vendor. People often say New Yorkers are jaded I don't think so it's just that they are familiar and used to a lot more variety they are expose to so many cultures so may people so many cuisines that they developed a matter of fact attitude. But they appreciate New York they love it they are grateful. ASK ANY NEW YORKER! I certainly do! NEW YORK, NEW YORK {what a wonderful place)