Famous People in February Assembly

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Permalink Reply by Peter Monroe on September 7, 2010 at 1:50pm

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I might vaguely remember this. I do remember the archaic (at this point) separate holidays for Lincoln and then Washington's birthday. February was a month to look forward to because of those days off from 164. I do remember Mrs. Farkas as the piano player at assemblies. Another (this is quite off topic) famous-birthday story involved a classmate whose parents were told during 'parents-come-in-and-talk-to-the-teacher-night' (what was that called?) that he didn't do anything above or beyond the required work. I believe it was February, so he did an "extra credit" birthday report on Alexander Graham Bell (these reports were usually copied almost directly out of the World Book Encyclopedia). That student, whose last name was Nosomowitz, father owned a bowling alley in downtown Flushing, and I was lucky enough to be invited there one Saturday. Okay, this wasn't quite about Famous Person/February, but, sort of. Enjoyed your Queen Anne story.

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Permalink Reply by Ronni Burns (Birnbaum) on September 8, 2010 at 2:06pm

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What a world, huh? Who would have thought to connect back to elementary school so easliy. I will read your profile after I answer this and find out what you are up to.
Best,
~ronni

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Permalink Reply by Peter Monroe on September 8, 2010 at 4:13pm

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V E R Y well - you can check out my blog: 'nothing-matters.com' - other stuff on the site, but, it's a big mess...polar opposite your corporate-ish site. You might enjoy reading it just because of that.

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Permalink Reply by Ronni Burns (Birnbaum) on September 9, 2010 at 9:53am

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You write beautifully....such poignant and sad stuff. Had to laugh as we always ate at Len Hing's too. How is your sister doing? Your mother, "went to the movies with Karl Maldern"? Pretty good for a housewife from Queens. :) Did you read on my blog, "What I did this summer"? If you look in the deeper places our stuff connects. (This is my polite way of saying...my website is so corporate????)

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Permalink Reply by Peter Monroe on September 9, 2010 at 10:21am

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Len Hing: I am so glad somebody remembers that place. My father loved Chinese food so much - I was always going there. Do you remember the owner "Joe" who always wore a dark pin-striped suit?
My sister is very straight (unlike me who is a hippie) and married, a middle-school math teacher with a Harvard MBA upper-middle management husband who works for Dupont. They live in Wilmington.
My mother didn't go to the movies with Karl Malden - I might 'write beautifully,' but sometimes less than clearly. I was talking about the movie "Fear Strikes Out" (1957) with him and Anthony Perkins as the featured players.
I will read your blog again and look for the connection. Thought you might like mine because there is some P.S. 164Q era stuff in there. And yes, at first glance your blog is less than 'stream of consciousness' but, nothing wrong with that, you are trying to promote an image.
By the way "nothing matters" were Louis B. Mayer's last words. (everything's a movie reference with me...).

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Permalink Reply by Ronni Burns (Birnbaum) on September 9, 2010 at 11:49am

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I do remember the owner, but not his name. He would always bow and smile and say "how are you?" and proudly deliver us the spare ribs. I know your mother didn't go w/Karl Malden...but reread how it reads.

Wow about your sister. I read your blog too quickly, I guess. Was she born w/o fingers, really?

Stream of conscious---I just rented/Netflix "A Single Man" and loved it so much I watched the feature section about the making of the movie.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Monroe on September 9, 2010 at 12:36pm

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Ronni - Yes, that was Joe, the owner of Len Hing, very solicitious in the late 50's/early 1960's way of owning a nice Chinese restaurant. My mother liked cats so much (and always wanted a Siamese) and my father loved Chinese food so much that when we finally got one, he was named "Len Hing." ("Lenny" for short). My father had a company, you probably remember it, you are the right age: Tensor (made the hi-intensity desk lights and I'm guessing you had one). "Joe" bought stock and would be very nice to us when the stock was up, giving my father a free drink but if we came to Len Hing when the stock was down, he wouldn't even greet us. And, I DO remember he would personally greet people and maybe bring the first appetizer.

Is "A Single Man" the latest Jewish-themed Cohn Brothers movie? I'm good at older movies but get mixed up with new ones?

It is very fun for you to remember Len Hing. I would say it is the second most interesting mutual remembrance yet from this 164 site. The top one thus far is a "girl" (she is like 62 now) remembering my father's MG-TD parked on the street. But, do not feel bad, this "Len Hing thing" is very close.

Sister: born without fingers (really).

You can write on the regular email if you'd like: estherwasmydog@yahoo.com

The thing I might have in common with you is, in an alternate universe, if I wasn't so contrary I might have had more of a mainstream success than my arguably alternative semi-success. I can get along when I feel like it in polite society.

Did you see the picture of our family in 1957 shot on Park Drive East? It's in my 164 profile.
---peter

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