Hunter College's Best Teacher Ever ~ Robert J. White

Nothing is more disappointing then revisiting a memory and finding out it's less then you remember.

Nothing is better than revisiting a memory that enhances that memory, builds on it and tells you everything you've told friends and family about a person and what they've meant in your life is more than true. I forgot half of the treasure I took away from my time as a student with Professor Robert J. White at Hunter College in the 1970s.

He taught me the classics and literature. Professor White is the coolest, smartest, funniest and warmest teacher I ever had and that goes all the way back to Mrs. Brown in P.S. 77's kindergarten in 1960.

There were 16,000 matriculating students at Hunter, we moved from class to class like cattle. Hard to make friends, most of us worked after school. But, if you were in a Professor White class something happened. Everybody felt it, we bonded, we talked to each other, he'd lead you through a subject with an intense quirky passion and you were compelled to go along, and you learned! Your interest grew, you wanted to please him, he cared too much for you to let him down.

My storytelling would be no where near as funny, clear or interesting without me knowing him. His detail was exquisite. He may be the funniest person I've ever met. My home life was chaotic during my time at Hunter. I had plenty of opportunity to self destruct. Professor White was the strongest and brightest light on my road. He triggered my passion, curiosity and love for dialogue in and about the classics, literature and film: Fellini, Pasolini, Truffaut, and on. I never read The New York Times until we were introduced. It was the only way to keep up with the references in his anecdotes.

I met Professor White at Hunter College this week for the first time in 33 years. We talked movies for two hours. How cool is that? I'm so glad he knows what he meant to me, and that his influence still runs through me.

Teach your children well. Well done, Professor White.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az9Az6S1nus

Thank you, Diana Conchado for arranging our meeting. hugs, Tommy

Sparky Lyle Ruled Yorkville

Father's Day 1972, Dad dropped by Nan’s on York Avenue to get his annual kiss from his mother. She was stingy on direct affection. I was in the living room watching TV avoiding orders.

Ten minutes later, the bell rang, and my girlfriend, Ginny, walked in with two white fur-ball puppies, each fitting comfortably in her open hand. Barbara Morgan's poodle, Monique, had a one night stand with a Hungarian terrier named Lazlo on 83rd Street.

“I’m keeping this one, who wants the runt?” Ginny said, pulling one puppy back, and holding the other out.

Dad made a move and froze. He was thinking about Mom, I’m sure. She’d kill him.

Nan neatly took the dog out of Ginny’s hand, lifted it to check for its sex, then made an announcement.

“This little girl’s mine, her name is Sparky Lyle.”

Sparky was a special dog, I loved her madly. Her Vet was Dr. Higgins on 84th Street. Dr. Higgins and his staff loved Sparky and couldn't wait to see her. Sparky didn't like the doctor's office, didn't like the building, and didn't like walking north up 84th Street once we got to that corner.

38 years later, Dr. Higgins still serves the community taking care of the animals, treating each one with affection at the Yorkville Animal Hospital at 227 East 84th Street. God bless, Dr. John Higgins.

************

Thank you, Barbara Aliprantis, for the opportunity to be part of your terrific monthly storytelling show at Cornelia Street Cafe (Second Tuesday of the month @ 6pm) . I had a wonderful time.

Thank you, Eric Vetter, Alex DeSuze & Carl Fortunato (No Name & a Bag of Chips Variety Show @ Otto's Shrunken Head @ December 17th @ 7pm) for being wonderful guests on Yorkville radio last night. Anarchy ruled,

and it was fun to

jump into the nut pool with all of you. I have no TP!

Listen to the Yorkville radio show on the archive at the Centanni link below:

http://www.centannibroadcasting.com/id56.html

I decided to take a sabbatical from the radio show. (Three more shows, last show will be January 4th) I do so with great reluctance. It's fun and hard work. I need to focus on a couple of projects. Thank you, Valerie Pepe, for asking me to be a guest on your show last May. I love you, pal. Thank you, Johnny Anello, for asking me to do the show and providing relentless support to me from the beginning to end. Thank you, Betty Eng, for patiently helping me learn how to do radio through my growing pains over the last six months. Thank you, Divino, Jean, Giovanna, Alexandra & Will for making Giovanna's Restaurant a sanctuary for me every Tuesday night. It feels like home. You'll see me soon and often.

My last three Yorkville radio shows will be loose (Dec 21st, Dec 28th& Jan 4th).

I have planned guests but welcome any of my friends to come down to Giovanna's Restaurant @ Tuesday night @ 9pm, and, if you like, I'll get you on the show and play a tune for you. Odds are good I have your request on my laptop.

Johnny tells me there are over 2,000 Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts listeners out there.

I thank you all for tuning in.

My compulsion for mischief is insatiable. I'll be back.

be well, Tommy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9_9k8-W1Po

Time Waits For No One

My brain tells me I took this picture yesterday. The calender tells me it was 20 years ago. If my brain thinks this photo was taken yesterday, then tomorrow I will be 76 years old.

Our ride is short, each day is a gift. I thank a few friends for things they may or may not know they did for me.

Jack Hoehlein, thank you for turning me on to Garland Jeffreys music.

Freddy Muller ~ Squeeze & how to slide into a base

Steve Murphy ~ Egg Rolls

Gerard Murphy ~ Flounder stuffed with spinach

John Cupo ~ running Central Park's Bridal Path & Reservoir

Robert Marantz ~ directing me to Freefall Writing

Barbara Turner ~ collecting loose thoughts, shaping them

Cris Beam ~ collecting loose stories, shaping them

Mom ~ Irish Sandwich ~ Hellman's Mayo, Iceberg Lettuce, Wonder Bread & Hitchcock

Joannie ~ the beach

Mike "Booger" Howley ~ Tom Waits

Ellen Schecter ~ writing confidence

Pop ~ sitting on a tall stoop

Dad ~ catch, how to collect interesting crap

Nan ~ finish a job properly

Linda Goldstein's Port Authority boss in 1981 ~ Long Beach Island

thank you, Tommy

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I'm telling tonight at Cornelia Street Cafe @ 6pm along with a group of terrific storytellers, please come down.

http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/

Later tonight, at 9pm, my guests on Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts radio show are Eric Vetter, Alex "The Assassin" De Suze and Carl (Baby Freak) Fortunato. Listen here at the Centanni link:

http://centannibroadcasting.com/index.html

Tuesday, Dec 14 - 6:00PM STORYTELLING Barbara Aliprantis
“Year End Festival Celebrating 14 Years of Storytelling” No theme, no judging, no contest, just great fun, and stories with heart Featured Teller: Thomas Pryor and Cameo slots (5/7 minute limit) for as many tellers time will allow!

http://www.barbaraaliprantisstoryteller.blogspot.com/

The International Silver String Submarine Band

There’s been a Pryor on York Avenue since 1896. They tried giving us the 23 skidoo, but my brother, Rory, told them to kiss his…

When all else fails, Rory wheels out the International Silver String Submarine Band...

"He flies through the air, with the greatest of ease"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFnJa9Tlk0k

Tomorrow night @ 6pm @ Cornelia Street Cafe telling is the ticket.

Tuesday, Dec 14 - 6:00PM STORYTELLING Barbara Aliprantis

“Year End Festival Celebrating 14 Years of Storytelling” No theme, no judging, no contest, just great fun, and stories with heart Featured Teller: Thomas Pryor and Cameo slots (5/7 minute limit) for as many tellers time will allow! Thomas Pryor's work has appeared in The New York Times, Mr. Beller's Neighborhood, A Prairie Home Companion, New York Press, Underground Voices Magazine, Opium Magazine Online, Our Town and Ducts. His story, "Madame Butterfly Goes Down" is part of Thomas Beller's anthology, Lost and Found: Stories from New York. He's written his first book, Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts. His blog is listed in the “Blog Roll” of The New York Times and his weekly radio show is featured on the Centanni Broadcasting Network. Recently, Thomas appeared on Channel 13's TV series, "Baseball: A New York Love Story." Cover $7 http://www.yorkvillestoopstonuts.blogspot.com/ , http://www.barbaraaliprantisstoryteller.blogspot.com/

You Can Please Yourself but Somebody's Gonna Get It ~ Tonight @ 7pm @ Otto's Shrunken Head

June 1972, I walked into my grandmother's apartment, heard yelling and there's Nan and four old ladies. Two I knew, two I didn't. On the kitchen table I saw signs of an abandoned pinochle game, under a swarm of green nominating petitions. Nan was an elected Democratic official and each year she faithfully navigated the party's candidates onto the primary ballot. This was a petition counting shindig. I knew this was a big argument because the contents of two Buick sized pocketbooks were emptied on top the petitions and the playing cards. Separated from the contents were two piles of wake cards. I needed no further information, this was a beef over who had some deceased person's funeral remembrance card, either a specific card or how many you had of one person. I didn't care, what I cared about was they were eating my food, drinking my Ginger Ale and ruining my amazing news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5f-GOz1Njg

If you want to hear what happened, come to Otto's Shrunken Head tonight @ 7pm and I'll tell you. I'm performing with the terrific storytellers below. Bring rotten fruit, aim true!

No Name's "Winter Reading" Show

Featuring Authors: Jennifer Belle, Michele Carlo, Kambri Crews, Jeff Kreisler & Thomas Pryor

Friday, December 10th @ 7pm @ Otto’s Shrunken Head in Manhattan

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 2010 -- “No Name... & A Bag O' Chips" comedy / variety show producer, Eric Vetter, reaches into his ever-present ‘bag o' chips’ on Friday, December 10th and pulls out current and soon-to-be published literature as part of their inaugural “Winter Reading" show - a response to the rousing success of this year's "Summer Reading" special - at Otto's in Manhattan.Authors / storytellers Jennifer Belle (“The Seven Year Bitch”) Michele Carlo, (“Fish Out Of Agua”) & Kambri Crews ("Love, Daddy,") will offer selections from their published and forthcoming works and will be joined by blogger / radio host Thomas Pryor (Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts ) and comic/author Jeff Kreisler ("Get Rich Cheating"). Now in its 11th year, the show will also feature the sounds of “The Summer Replacements” featuring Alex “The Assassin” De Suze and Carl (BabyFreak) Fortunato. No Cover, No minimum. Showtime is 7:00pm and Otto's is located at 538 E 14th St (Cross Street: Between Avenue A and Avenue B) "L" subway train to First Avenue. For more info, call (212) 228-2240 or go to www.ottosshrunkenhead.com/

Giovanna's Playhouse

We had a great time on "Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts" radio @ Giovanna's Restaurant this past Tuesday night. My guests, Tim O'Mara ( look for his new book, "Sacrifice Fly," in 2012) & Barry Stabile (see his band, "All Mobbed Up," @ Dec 17th @

ALL MOBBED UP! HOLIDAY BASH w ROCK HARD MAGAZINE

Location:Gecko Lounge, 5 mins from Verrizanno Bridge

Time:7:30PM Friday, December 17th

got into the holiday groove and Divino fed the masses delicious food and kept his home warm and comfy. That's what Giovanna's is, a second home for it's patrons and artists. If you would like to hear the radio show, tune into the Centanni Broadcasting Network link below:

http://www.centannibroadcasting.com/id56.html

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I have two storytelling events in next five days, tomorrow, Friday, Dec 10th @ 7pm @ Otto's Shrunken Head ~ Tuesday, Dec 14th @ 6pm @ Cornelia Street Cafe ~ see details below:

No Name's "Winter Reading" Show To Feature Authors Jennifer Belle, Michele Carlo, Thomas Pryor & Kambri Crews Friday, December 10th @ Otto’s Shrunken Head in Manhattan

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 2010 -- “No Name... & A Bag O' Chips" comedy / variety show producer, Eric Vetter, reaches into his ever-present ‘bag o' chips’ on Friday, December 10th and pulls out current and soon-to-be published literature as part of their inaugural “Winter Reading" show - a response to the rousing success of this year's "Summer Reading" special - at Otto's in Manhattan. Authors / storytellers Jennifer Belle (“The Seven Year Bitch”) Michele Carlo, (“Fish Out Of Agua”) & Kambri Crews ("Love, Daddy,") will offer selections from their published and forthcoming works and will be joined by blogger / radio host Thomas Pryor (Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts ) and comic/author Jeff Kreisler ("Get Rich Cheating"). Now in its 11th year, the show will also feature the sounds of “The Summer Replacements” featuring Alex “The Assassin” De Suze and Carl (BabyFreak) Fortunato. No Cover, No minimum. Showtime is 7:00pm and Otto's is located at 538 E 14th St (Cross Street: Between Avenue A and Avenue B) "L" subway train to First Avenue. For more info, call (212) 228-2240 or go to www.ottosshrunkenhead.com/

Tuesday, Dec 14 - 6:00PM STORYTELLING Barbara Aliprantis

“Year End Festival Celebrating 14 Years of Storytelling” No theme, no judging, no contest, just great fun, and stories with heart Featured Teller: Thomas Pryor and Cameo slots (5/7 minute limit) for as many tellers time will allow! Thomas Pryor's work has appeared in The New York Times, Mr. Beller's Neighborhood, A Prairie Home Companion, New York Press, Underground Voices Magazine, Opium Magazine Online, Our Town and Ducts. His story, "Madame Butterfly Goes Down" is part of Thomas Beller's anthology, Lost and Found: Stories from New York. He's written his first book, Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts. His blog is listed in the “Blog Roll” of The New York Times and his weekly radio show is featured on the Centanni Broadcasting Network. Recently, Thomas appeared on Channel 13's TV series, "Baseball: A New York Love Story." Cover $7 http://www.yorkvillestoopstonuts.blogspot.com/ , http://www.barbaraaliprantisstoryteller.blogspot.com/

Everyday I Write The Book ~ Yorkville Radio Tonight @ 9pm

Tonight on "Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts" radio @ 9pm @ Centanni Broadcasting Network my guests are: Timothy J. O'Mara & Barry Stabile.

Listen here live or on archive at your convenience:

http://www.centannibroadcasting.com/

Tim is a terrific author who's just signed up with two agents to sell his book, "Sacrifice Fly," and Tim is the co-founder of the We Three Productions Reading series (16 years old and going strong at Bar 82). Tim has something on his mind and plans on bringing it to Giovanna's Restaurant tonight.

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

Barry Stabile is an accomplished musician and yarn spinner. He's currently part of "All Mobbed Up." The group was the house band at Cha~Cha's on the Coney Island boardwalk this past summer on Friday nights. Unfortunately, Cha~Cha's lost their lease and like hundreds of things long gone at the beach, it's gone forever. Barry grew up in Bay Ridge and he and I will have lots to say on that subject, starting with the guy who put a bullet in his friend's caboose with a hammer as the trigger, it's a long story, listen tonight and Barry will tell you all about it.

I'm in a Clay Cole and Sandy Becker mood. Thinking of Clay's Christmas shows and Sandy Becker going bananas, "Hambone, Hambone, have you heard? Momma's going to buy you a mocking bird, and if that mocking bird don't sing..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Wx8BRjzoI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REeeucZtDY0

Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues

Watching Monday Night Football years ago, the camera panned a mostly empty upper deck of a stadium where the home team was getting creamed in the fourth quarter. The network was going bananas, the game was a stinker. The camera focused on a drunk asleep and moved in for a close up. The guy woke up and must have seen himself on a screen inside the place, because he gave the camera the finger. Without missing a beat, Don Meredith said, "Look, he's saying our team is number one!"

There are certain Cowboys who broke my heart but I grudgingly admired: Walt Garrison, Roger Staubach & Don Meredith.

In 1966 & 1967, The Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers played each other in the NFL Championship games. Don Meredith led the upstarts against the vintage Lombardi wine. As a 12 year old Giants fan, I was devastated. My team stunk, the parishioners in the Church of Mara were suffering. The coach of the Cowboys was Tom Landry, former defensive coach of the Giants. The coach of the Packers, Vince Lombardi, the former offensive coach of the Giants. How could Mara let these guys go?

And the Cowboys were led by a cool QB, that I couldn't hate. Peter Gent wrote knowingly of Meredith in his book, "North Dallas Forty." Everything I imagined about Meredith was true. And the guy was loved, and did a tremendous amount of charity work throughout his life.

Three cheers for Dandy Don.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4rrFgYYJ0s

.

.

I Wanna Find One Face That Ain't Looking Through Me

Yesterday, I linked to Don McLean, "American Pie." It's opening lyrics reflected my mood related to seeing live music in 1978, when I was 24.

A long, long time ago...
I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile.
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And, maybe, they’d be happy for a while.

But February made me shiver
With every paper I’d deliver.
Bad news on the doorstep;
I couldn’t take one more step.

I can’t remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride,
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died.

Early that summer, I went to a Bad Company concert, and

sat through it like a work meeting. Bored. I was leading up to that, because the last few live shows I went to made me feel the same way. Empty. I thought I'd lost my musical inspiration.

(Bruce pix by Jeffrey Havas)

That August, my girlfriend, Yvette & I went to see Bruce Springsteen for the first time at Madison Square Garden. We got there two hours early and split an eight pack of Miller nips, watching people traffic and scoring the winners.

Inside, the energy was electric but I didn't know why yet. Then the band took the stage and ripped into "Badlands." I found religion in that four minute song. It felt like 1964, I was ten years old again, watching all the girl groups on the Clay Cole Show, watching Roy Orbison singing "Crying," and "Pretty Woman." It didn't matter it was a crappy little TV, those artists week after week tore my heart open, moved in, bought furniture and never left. Springsteen woke everybody up in there, and they haven't left me since 1978.

The next night, I went back to MSG alone, and bought a $6 ticket for $15 from a scalper. Starting from my blue heaven seat I ended up in the third row in the orchestra by the third song and stayed there crouched on the floor between two girls for the entire show including the three encores.

Tons of great shows followed: Garland Jeffreys, John Hiatt, J Geils Band, Elvis Costello, Shawn Colvin, Lucinda Willams, Mary Lee's Corvette, Losers Lounge, and on... When I die, tickets for my next live show will be in my dresser. Somebody pick them up, don't waste them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiGWs6jzKUg&feature=related

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

Graveyard Cough

I’m 12. It’s right after dinner on a school night in early December 1966. Setting is the living room in my family’s small apartment (675 sq feet) on East 83^rd Street in Yorkville.

“Get another sweat shirt!”

“Oh, crap.”

I thought, I grabbed more clothes and presented myself for my father’s review.

He counted my garments then said, “OK be back by nine.”

Dad and I were at war. All my life, if I get the slightest cold, a little tickle in my throat, it turns into a graveyard cough.It starts in my feet, travels through every chamber in my pulmonary system building pressure and size until it comes out of my mouth like a Tuberculosis victim’s death rattle while taking a series of bullets to his lungs. If Dad heard my cough tickle two rooms away he’d ambush me and sandwich me with two T-shirts, two of his old sweat shirts and a giant jar of Vick’s Vapor Rub. He put three fingers in the jar, take out enough yuck to cure a choir of sore throats, and rub it into my chest and neck like I owed him a lot of money.

Dad’s dad, my grandfather, Thomas E. Pryor, died from advanced TB at 40 years old. They called it Pott’s Disease. Dad had an elephant’s memory and when I coughed he probably saw pictures of the sanatorium where my grandfather spent 7 of his last 10 years, 125 miles upstate.

On the way down the stairs I started undressing. By the time I got to the first floor I was down to a tee shirt and a light sweat shirt, I put my extra sweat shirt, my pea coat, and my scarf behind the radiator near the cellar door and left the vestibule with the optimal clothing for playing touch football. Jumping off my stoop, I saw snow flakes dancing across the street lights, dusting the street bed. After two hours and three games up the block near First Avenue, it was time to get home, and it was time to pee. Running up my stoop into the hallway, up the stairs I forgot my outerwear determined to get the bathroom before I peed myself. I ran into the bathroom passed my mother doing the dishes and relieved myself in a religious ritual. Finished, clueless, I stepped out of the bathroom into the kitchen at the same time my Dad stepped into the kitchen from the living room. He looked me over.

“Did you just get in?”

My mouth wide open, I said nothing, once again entering the land of unanswerable questions.

“I said. Did you just…” Mom cut Dad off.

“Are you friggin nuts? He’s been home ten minutes in his room, if you paid deeper attention to the World at War on TV you could go right back into the sea battle.”

Dad was ready to say something to me again, but shrugged and went back into the living room. The commercial was over and it was time for him to return to the North Atlantic in 1942.

Mom said loud enough for Dad to hear, “Tommy, here’s a dollar go get two milk.” She pushed me out the door with the buck before Dad came back in the room. Even with the door closed, from the hall stairs I heard him say to Mom, “We have three quarts, what the hell is wrong with you?”

“You all drink milk like this is a farm, it will be gone tomorrow, I’m not your Gunga Din, Tommy’s on an exercise kick, I’m helping him out.”

I ran down the stairs with a shit ass grin, in love with Mom, all over again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9u9mZz-o-g&feature=related

A Nantucket Sleighride

"Dad, when you were on the Midori how did the cook make dinner for 1200 sailors?" I asked my father a hundred years ago.

He put his sketch pen down and said, "On an aircraft carrier, cooks either carefully watch a good cook work, wing it, or use the fall back: serve sh*t on a shingle."

I'm not an organized person and have difficulty preparing a radio show with one guest. Last night I had three guests. I say with no hesitation, despite my best effort to burn the house down with me in it, it turned out pretty good.

Listen to the show at the Centanni link below:

http://www.centannibroadcasting.com/id56.html

Edward Rogers, Don Piper & Joe Hurley were terrific guests. The show was a two hour Nantucket Sleighride, the guys pulled me up and down through our tumbling nuthouse but we all hung on.

Ed, Don & Joe, please come back to the show anytime you like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0JrV86EKCs

Don Piper & Edward Rogers are playing next Wednesday @ December 8th At Bowery Electric.

Joe Hurley is playing with the Gents next Tuesday @ December 7th @ Joes' Pub.

http://www.myspace.com/adonpipersituation

http://www.edwardrogersmusic.com/

http://www.roguesmarch.com/

Here's some Slade to take you through the holidays. I forgot Goodbye To Jane was in heavy rotation up Ekis's house on Friday nights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A8KT365wlA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFAd-zpqWiU

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On the bottom of this page you see the item that made my belly hurt very bad on Sunday night. I ran out of food but found this unopened Sabra Roasted Garlic Hummus in the back of the bottom of my fridge. My weapon of choice was my left index finger. It took ten minutes. This must stop.