My Secret Fan

Mom hated watching me play football. Barely tolerated it. Showed up for three games. First one with Our Lady Of Good Counsel in Yorkville, NYC I got knocked out at 15. At 18 she saw me break my fibula at Rice Stadium in Pelham. Her final appearance, on a kickoff return my two front teeth flew out of my mouth after colliding with a defender's helmet on the Asphalt Plant field @ 90 Street on what Dad claimed was my best run ever. Mom ignored everything other than was I injury free. Same for rugby my next contact sport thanks to Joe Menesick. Afterwards, Mom stepped out of the room when football came up in the conversation. At 28, my parents gave me a large statue of a receiver pulling in a pass while his legs get tied up by a defender. The player catching the ball looked like Raymond Berry my secret hero because most of the New York Giants were terrible. I thanked and kissed my parents but knew it was Dad's idea, he found it and bought it.

At my daughter's kindergarten graduation a bunch of years later, Mom said, "nice to see the football statue is still front and center in your living room."
"Dad picked a winner," I answered.
Mom's face drop.
"What's a matter, Mom?"
"I found the statue in an antique store on Lexington near Hunter. I bought it. Dad wasn't there."

I hugged her so hard she didn't realize I was crying.

p.s. Mom gave me Donald "T.D" Duck for my 40th birthday.

Da-duh! We have a "big to do" on 11/21 it's "The Beatles White Album" Stoops to Nuts show at Ryans Daughter on Saturday, Nov. 21st, @7-11pm (shush! I'm also celebrating Alison's birthday). Our artists: Walter Michael DeForest, Colin Dempsey, Joe Dettmore, Nicole Ferraro, Daniela Schiller, Supersmall and Adam Wade. And much much more!

"The Beatles White Album" Stoops to Nuts show

Ryan's Daughter 350 E. 85th St. 

Saturday, Nov 21st @ 7-11pm

Free show

Do you like old New York City photos and street life stories? Then check out my 1960s memoir,"I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood."Available at Logos Book Store and online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

The book has 112 Amazon five star reviews out of 112 total reviews posted. We're pitching a perfect game. My old world echoes TV's "The Wonder Years" ~ just add taverns, subways and Checker cabs.