I grew up at 29 Darcy Street with my parents
and three older brothers and moved to 102 Brill Street when I was
8 years old. Recently, my husband (also a down neck original) and
I met one of his high school friends down in Atlantic City who he
hasn't seen in about 25 years and we were rattling off the down
neck memories. It's so funny how your forget some things until someone
starts talking about them.
We were talking about Mr. Falek's store on Wilson Avenue (he always
had some "nice pants" for you), Dolly & Art's, Sue's Hot Dogs, sleigh
riding down "Green Hill", ice skating at the Ironbound Stadium,
Beck Hazzard shoe store on Ferry Street and Dickerman's on Wilson
Avenue, Ralph's hot dogs at Independence Park, library school at
Van Buren St. Library, Krug's Tavern (which is still around!!!),
Hayes Pool, "scoring" on the backs of cars in the snow, Dugout Pizzeria,
Cazzie's store, Nick's, the "Feast", the picnic at St. Benedicts
and the picnic at Wolff's Church, so many places and memories!!!!
Having to be home when the street lights came on was what I remembered
the most!!!! And all the neighborhood kids were always out playing
- nobody sat in their house watching tv all day!!! Running bases,
kickball, three flies up - (in the old Pathmark parking lot on Alyea
Street!!!) And so much more.
I can't even remember everything we talked about. It was fun reminiscing.
There are so many great memories of down neck - I hate when people
talk about Newark as if it's the swamp of the world. They missed
out on a lot. :)
|
