I lived with my grandparents and my aunt
at 2 Wolcott Terrace. The apartment building was pretty nice. The
hallways featured tile and marble walls and floors as did the mailbox
section. There was a butcher at the corner and a pizza place next
to it. Mr. Wheeler owned a bike shop that sold and repaired bicycles.
There was also a Boy's Club next to the pizza place where my best
friend’s mother Blanch worked. My best friend Ellen and I
had memberships. We were the only girls in the club. I went to Hawthorne
Avenue school.
My Grandmothers name was Faye, my Grandfathers name was Harry and
my aunt's name was Ruth. We were Jewish. My grandfather used to
hang out in a social club across the street from our building. When
my grandmother went downtown, she always took me with her. We would
go to Bambergers, Kleins, Haynes and McCorys. We ate lunch at the
lunch counter's which served bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches
with shakes. Sometimes they had balloons and when you bust them
it said what you would pay for your lunch. Afterwards we would go
to the movies and if my Grandmother did not like the movie she would
argue with the manager and get a refund. My grandmother was the
best, always lots of fun when we were together. My aunt would watch
American Bandstand and make me dance with her, doing the stroll
and the twist, I was about 8 years old at the time. On Halloween
my aunt would take me trick and treating. I would return with a
big brown shopping bag full of candy. Back then people were nice,
always giving money, candy and even some home baked cookies, unlike
today.
I had a best friend Ellen. We would walk all around Newark, exploring
without and problems. Too bad you can't do that now, times have
changed. I wish it was like it used to be, but I still have my memories.
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