Where I come from

I grew up in The Bronx during the 1960’s and 1970’s. There were the “Jews” Italians, and Puerto Ricans in the neighborhood to start, [as my memory goes]. We gave respect to each family’s culture while they celebrated their holidays.

Today I want to speak about the different foods that were available during my childhood. Around the corner there was the pizza parlor [palor] and the Delicatessen [Deli], later came the Bodegas. After school you had a chose of a knish, slice or pastelillo.  The Spanish spot had rice balls with meat deep fried, plantains, empanadas. The neighbor was friends with my dad and “he” could get some Coquito! My ‘Kosher’ neighbor was friends with my mom. They stood with their door opened and talked for hours about what ever. My mom would save chicken fat during their high holy days and give to her. My mom used to work for Jews on Long Island and spoke a little Yiddish. [oy vey] Who knew we understood as much Yiddish as we did. Some Saturdays my family would end up at Katz Deli and get treated to one of the massive pastrami or corned beef sandwiches.

Later years as I started traveling to school alone, I would venture into other cuisines, eg. Russian Borscht served with sour cream or a hardboiled egg. [their pastries are to die for]. When I was engaged, we used to travel to ‘China-Town’ [the A-train ] to eat authentic Chinese food, nothing like the ‘rip-off’ in the local neighborhoods and catch a Shaolin movie. I missed those ‘findings’.

My point, I grew up around different cultures, New York City, and the ‘norm’ was always something different. We tried your foods, your fashions, etc. so I feel I am not afraid of you nor you of me. My children brought kids home who called me ‘mom’ were from different countries by the time the 1980’s rolled in. This was no big deal, keep it 100% [NYers know what this is] If by chance you get to know your neighbors you may get to understand them and possibly realize there is more of the same things in common than different.

Here in the south, not so much. ‘Old-Timey’ ways are losing steam and going out of the norm. The ‘Good-ole-party’ had its run. It is time for reality to step up and in. I do not want to take over, move in or be anywhere I am not wanted. I want to have the right to live in peace [Period] Yes we are different, no so much, hell we may even be cousins. Shake a few of those family trees.

…Pandora