I was born at a quarter past three
Father’s name Nathan mother’s Sophie
Dad smoked all his life
And loved his dear wife
The acorn fell far from the tree
Some years later the steps tripped my mother
Ending my hopes for a brother
We moved to Fourteenth Street
Ocean sounds were a new treat
Shared a locker in The Baths with my father
There were uncles, aunts and cousins
The family was counted in dozens
Then in ’40 one morn
Sister Sandi was born
Few closets, no place to put clothes in
The move from Fourteenth to Twelfth
Was a definite sign of new wealth
The second bedroom was fine
Little sister took space that was mine
At least we were all in good health
There was Jerry, Hal, Bobbie and Paul
Our favorite game was Stick-ball
Sandy, Red, Don and Lenny
Marbles, Stoops, and Hit-The-Penny
The games stopped when mom gave a call
They came from Philly each summer
Sleeping eight was really a bummer
They liked Kosher deli
And our seven inch TV
Black and white was alright before color
And so it went for a dozen years
Beginnings filled with laughter and tears
There were very few material things
But we shared the fun that friendship brings
Looking back to a time without doubts or fears
