NY City memories continue, 1959 …
Our first child, Mark, was born in July of 1959 and when he was about 4 months old we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at our favorite place, an authentic Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village. You would pass through the bar to get to the eating area in the back where 8 or 10 small tables were set up. It was also home to an indoor bocce court and it was fun to watch the old men play while we ate.
I found this photo on the Web and it is reminiscent of those days but not the same place. Sadly, “our” little restaurant is long gone but the memory of our dinner there that night will be with me forever.
We knew many of the locals by sight and that night a lot of them were seated around the bar when we entered. These were elderly Italian men from the neighborhood and their eyes lit up when they saw our baby. “Whatsa ees name?” they asked and of course our Mark became “L’il Marco” to them. They insisted that we leave him with them. “Go…Go”, they said, “…you eat, we play!”
So that’s what we did. We felt very secure leaving Mark with these men since we’d often seen them lovingly care for other children ... and, even sitting a room away we could hear them “oohing” and “ahhing” over “L’il Marco” as they passed him gently around the bar.
A wonderful memory that probably wouldn’t be possible in today’s world.
We knew many of the locals by sight and that night a lot of them were seated around the bar when we entered. These were elderly Italian men from the neighborhood and their eyes lit up when they saw our baby. “Whatsa ees name?” they asked and of course our Mark became “L’il Marco” to them. They insisted that we leave him with them. “Go…Go”, they said, “…you eat, we play!”
So that’s what we did. We felt very secure leaving Mark with these men since we’d often seen them lovingly care for other children ... and, even sitting a room away we could hear them “oohing” and “ahhing” over “L’il Marco” as they passed him gently around the bar.
A wonderful memory that probably wouldn’t be possible in today’s world.
posted by Ginnie at 5:00 PM
10 Comments:
Another lovely memory. Thanksfor sharing?
That's a lovely memory. Mark must have been a very friendly baby.
What a great story with heart.....:)
Oh, Ginnie..I love this. We do live in a very different world and it is sad!
Glad that your son had such good friends when he was young. Sadly, not much like that can happen today. What has happened in society to make things so bad?
Were we fools back them? Or what?
Have people gotten worse or has the media simply made it seem so?
Or does the media put ideas in people's heads that might never have thought about doing some of the things that get done today.
how wonderful that you have this story to tell.
What a great bunch of "Uncles" Mark had for the evening. Italian Uncles are the BEST!
What a nice memory. I believe that every generation feels that the world is a much more dangerous place than it use to be. The people I meet every day are kind and generous. I agree the media is the enemy of peace and happiness. There has always been bad people doing bad things now they are just rewarded by being famous overnight or even within hours.
Another wonderful trip down your memory lane, Ginnie, and thanks for taking us along too. Yes, it is sad that things have changed.
Undoubtedly NOT possible today. Did you ever eat at Vincent's on Mulberry Street?
or Katz's Deli?
Undoubtedly NOT possible today. Did you ever eat at Vincent's on Mulberry Street?
or Katz's Deli?
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