"Paul Is Dead!" "No He's Not" ~ Earth Science With Ernie Kovacs @ LaSalle

 I'm swinging south on a vine towards La Salle Academy's old gym at 44 East 2nd Street today to meet a few ghosts.  Jim Teaman, Marty Regan, Dermott Whalen, Shamus Dunn, Rudi Papiri, Andres Valdespino, Gerard Martinez, miss you guys.

Tommy swinging @Lasalle 1968

Below, Pat Cullinan and his LaSalle partner in crime, Ernie Kovacs, our Earth Science teacher & "Paul is Dead" theorist. 

Patrick Cullinan & "Ernie" Kovacs

In fall 1969, disgusted with our lack of attention in his classroom, (he fooled around more than we did) Ernie began to list clues on the blackboard that Paul McCartney was dead. As we barked them out, he used several colors of chalk to make strong points and when he ran out of room; inspired he began to write along the blackboard edges, up and down, across and back. The kind of thing you did when you forget to add one more lovey-dovey line to your love letter to your first girlfriend.

The clues were left on the blackboard all week until Hermano Pablo gleefully erased them. Yes, he had a glob of shaving cream behind his ear. I always counted on that.

Pat, thank you, for letting me publish your photos.

"I Hate The Dallas Cowboys ~ tales of a scrappy New York boyhood"  on Kindle @ $9.95 later this month. 

"Flying Shoes" ( LaSalle Academy, 1968)

Brother James Gully, Homeroom/English teacher 1968/69

In September 1968, during my first week as a freshman at LaSalle Academy in the East Village, Brother James Gully was teaching us English in Room 406 at 44 East 2nd Street. We were reading “A Tale of Two Cities” and it was hot. I was sweating at my desk in the window row, which looked out onto the New York City Marble Cemetery, when something started stinking awful. I looked down and there was a pair of gigantic loafers that belonged to the kid sitting in front of me. I didn’t know his name yet, but he was a tall black kid with a serious face who was telling everybody who would listen that he was good at basketball. I thought he had a real puss on, plus his feet smelled horrible. I leaned forward and whispered loudly, "Put your shoes back on."

He shrugged and ignored me.

"Put ‘em on!"

Trying not to get Brother James’s attention, I whacked him in the shoulder. Dismissing my suggestion, he turned around and told me to go do something to myself I wasn't capable of doing."OK, that’s fine," I said, and reached down and flung both shoes into the cemetery.

Day after Jets Super Bowl. I'm now sitting against blackboard. 

That's the day Robert Gumbs and I were formally introduced. We both got punished and he stared at me during detention like a bull studying the matador before his rush. Starting the next day, he chased me between classes for two weeks. I was very fast. After school he'd wait for me on one side of the building and I'd go into a classroom and look out the window and see him and run out the other side. By the time he caught me, I had exhausted him. I don't think I was in that headlock for more than five minutes.

All photos here are courtesy of Patrick Cullinan

If you enjoy my stories please  check out my memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." Available at Logos Book Store or online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

The book has 108 Amazon five star reviews out of 108 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. You can also purchase my photography portfolio, "River to River - New York Scenes From a Bicycle" on Amazon.

Br. James

Br. James pointing at Gumbs.  Sandella looks on with his mouth open.

Robert Gumbs

LaSalle Rally

The man

He was a great teacher

Nuts, lovable & capable of swift violence when you played the idiot too long

Can Music Save Your Mortal Soul?

On the evening of June 12, 1972, 208 teenagers graduated from LaSalle Academy and my parents reconciled after a two year separation. They left the graduation holding hands (remarkable). I headed north with four classmates and two teachers on a Yorkville tavern crawl.

The next day, hung over & seeking refuge, a chain of events began that led me on a two year adventure that closed out my teen years with a roller coaster ride. I took four friends along, it was the best time of our lives. Demolition ended the journey, but not the memories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Y_XRiJsCI&feature=related

Next Friday, December 10th @ 7pm ~ I'm telling @ The No Name... & A Bag of Chips "Winter Reading Show @ Otto's Shrunken Head @ 538 East 14th Street (near Ave A).

http://www.ottosshrunkenhead.com/index.html

On Tuesday, December 14th @ 6pm ~ I'm performing, @ " Year End Festival Celebrating 14 Years of Storytelling," presented by Barbara Aliprantis @ Cornelia Street Cafe @ 29 Cornelia Street (between West 4th Street & Bleecker Street just west of 6th Avenue).

http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/downstairs/Performances.asp?sdate=12/14/2010&from_cal=0

photo of LaSalle (1969) ~ Patrick Cullinan

LaSalle Forever

LaSalle Academy, the Christian Brothers led boy's high school has been on East 2nd Street since 1856. This month LaSalle closed it's doors.
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Due to fiscal realities, LaSalle, an East Village historical custodian, long termed leased their 44 East 2nd Street building to another educational organization and will move it's school operations to space in St. George Ukrainian Catholic School on Sixth Street. A sad day for teachers, students, alumni teachers and students, and friends of the school. Things change, but fortunately there are intuitive generous people who salvage and preserve for the good of everyone.
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Patrick Cullinan, former LaSalle teacher, made a record, and what a record it is. Between 1968 and 1973, Pat took thousands of photographs of school life on the premises and around the East Village that is the equal of any such work about the Lower East Side & a New York City neighborhood during this rich, complex time in our country's history.
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All these photos are yours to view at Pat's link below. In addition, Pat visited the school yesterday for one last time, and took over 700 pictures inside and outside the school. One last walk along the halls, one last kick at the locker imagining it was the head of that pain in the ass kid in Geometry.
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Here are links to Pat's LaSalle photos. Thank you, Pat.
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LaSalle 1968 ~ 1973
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http://pcullinan.smugmug.com/
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LaSalle ~ final day before turnover ~ June 23, 2010
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http://pcullinan.smugmug.com/gallery/12677537_L8x3F#911921986_utWpk
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No Soup For You!

I am so gone. Bye, New York City Housing Authority; Hello, Summer 2010!

In June, 1970, I fully expected to fail Geometry at LaSalle Academy. I deserved it. Yet, Patrick Cullinan gave me a 70, saving me from my sole flirtation with summer school. Today, summer school was averted, once again.

I have no idea why I cannot keep clothing buttoned and arranged. It's a life long problem, see evidence below.

Mayor Bloomberg: No Soup For You!

By DAVID SEIFMAN

Posted: 3:24 AM, June 19, 2010

Mayor Bloomberg yesterday declared in no uncertain terms that he’s not going to offer buyouts in hopes of speeding up voluntary reductions in the city work force.

“It does not make any sense to do it from an economic point of view because what happens is the people who are ready to retire anyway get the monies and the city has to shell out some extra monies but doesn’t get any extra benefit,” he said.

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3vUKBOJ5sU

Time Has Come Today

Time has come today for Buddy McMahon. As the student body heads back into the building after the fire drill, Buddy & his plastic LaSalle school bag cross Second Avenue heading for the # 6 on Bleecker Street. He's on his way to the Living Room in Park Slope to see a terrific comedy show.

Tonight, I'll perform a story @ Luke Thayer & Abbi Crutchfield’’s show ~ The Living Room at Postmark Café (free admission) ~ 326 6th Street (between 4th & 5th Avenues) ~ Park Slope, Brooklyn.

3 blocks from the 9thStreet R station & the 4thAve/9th St. F stop.

Come down, throw fruit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1aMTWdQnzo



























All photos by Patrick Cullinan

http://pcullinan.smugmug.com/






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1aMTWdQnzo
=V1aMTWdQnzo

Picture Book

Had lunch in Chinatown with my LaSalle Academy teacher, Patrick Cullinan . In 1969, Pat realized Geometry was not my strength and he graciously bent a straight line to get me out of the path of summer school. God bless him.

We caught up and had fun. Pat's a terrific photographer and a large part of his work can be found at his photo web site: http://pcullinan.smugmug.com/.

In his pictures, he caught an era going through seismic changes in the East Village (1968-1973). Pat loves New York City history and it visually takes off in these photos. All b&w shots were taken by Mr. C.


















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ps walking around after lunch, we circled the old Collect Pond foot-print. I believe the building at the n/e corner of Bayard & Baxter Street may be one of the few walk-up seven story buildings in NYC.