1) In 1958 my parents took their usual 3-week trip to Florida and left "my maid" Agnes (Curry) in charge. The next day we walked to Main Street waited at a corner then boarded the Q44. Fun! I NEVER took the bus, our family drove everywhere; Unlike others in the neighborhood even my mother had her own car (she grew up in Scarsdale unlike most of the mothers from Brooklyn). Anyway, once we started getting toward downtown Flushing Agnes leaned over and said, "I bet you didn't know Main Street went so far - I bet you thought it only was near your house." (that IS what I thought - I was only 5...). After another bus or two (the old-fashioned two-tone green buses with split rear windows and a 'fastback' rear design) we reached our destination of The South Bronx where she lived. When I got out of the bus I couldn't figure out why there were only negroes (except some regular people fixing the street). I told my mother about the trip with Agnes Curry (including how far Main Street went past, "Nibs"). I said something like, "Mom, there were only Negroes when we went to Agnes' house (apartment) except for some regular people fixing the street"and she got mad at Agnes for taking me to what she said was a dangerous neighborhood. Then Agnes got mad at me for telling on her.
2) THE FIRST GAY MAN (who tried to pick me up): 1965 and Agnes (Curry; still "our maid") had to tell me how to take the Q44 to Flushing near the Long Island Railroad so I could meet my friend Barry Wertheim and then go to The World's Fair. This would be the first time taking a bus by myself and I wrote down "Q44" on a piece of paper after Agnes told me the number of the bus. She would know unlike either of my driving parents). It was 7 years since our South Bronx adventure. So, carrying that piece of paper saying "Q44" so I wouldn't forget I got on the bus (15 cents) went to near The Long Island Railroad and then waited for Barry. A guy asked who I was waiting for and I told him "my friend" and he asked where I was going after that and I told him "The World's Fair" and he said, "well, if he doesn't come, you know you can get into the World's Fair for half price if you go with me because I'm over age 18." He kept hanging around and talking more and repeated the "half-price" a few more times (he didn't know that was no incentive; my parents always gave me $5 before going to The World's Fair (Barry Wertheim's mother only gave him only $2 so I ended up having to pay for him by the end of the day). Then Barry Wertheim came and we went to the World's Fair and I got away from The Gay Guy Who Was Over Age 18. By the way, Barry Wertheim turned gay the next year when he went to junior high, but, that's a topic for another discussion i guess...Also, I never went gay and this isn't a coming out story or anything, it's just story number 2 of the "My Adventures on the Q44 Main Street Bus."
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