Dr. Sigmund Freud’s ‘Civilization and its discontents’
“It is impossible to escape the impression that people commonly use false standards of measurement- that they seek power, success and wealth for themselves and admire them in others, and that they underestimate what is of true value in life’.
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Growing up in Flatbush (Brooklyn), the farthest thing from my coming to grips with Dr. Freud’s ‘Civilization and its discontents’. Collecting garter snakes, listening to the “Witch’s tales” “Reed” Barber announcing the Dodger games at Ebbet’sField.
The subway rides, elevator apartment lifts, Belt Parkway weekend visits to our cousins in Bensonhurst d Bay Ridge and Avenue T’s Sheepshed Bay.
Renewing public library books off Avenue J and East 12th Street, above the bowling alley….”Farrell’s “Studs Lonigan”. Ping pong a Tony Viola’s Parkville, our older brother Joel, the tennis pro at their eight courts, on Ocean Parkway, adjacent to the Metropolitan cemetery, where our grandfather David and grandmother Dora, are buried.
The delicatesns, Al Padow’s drug sdtore(Mr. Padow the Midwood High School Physics and chemistry teacher, the candy store at corner of Coney Island Avenue and Avenue J Opposite the Dime Savings Bank.. Waldbaum’s grocery store before WW2 when it emerged as Waldbaum’s super market (her son, a clarinet player at Midwood High School.
Between Mr. Shapiro in Science, Mrs Nellis in Art nd Mrs Harder in Geography or Home ropo, the kip rope, hop skip and jump, the Yo yos (the Filipino), the relays, dodge ball, basketball free throws. Monopoly, gin rummy card games, twenty one, pinochle. Pick up sticks.
Intramural basketball basement gym at Avenue I and Coney Island Avenue. Flatbush Jewish Center.…the Gremlins, Comets from Avenue ‘J’…...
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The new Midwood High School on Bedford Avenue and Campus Road at Brookly College. Tubby Ross principal. Julie Raqski, head of Bos P.E. Henry Fuchs, Seniuor English and adviser to the newspaper rgue and the Epilog Yearbook. Interviews WOR sports Editor Stan , Ala Young radio comicfrom Canada.
Ick up sticks.Ivy League admission tests, acceptance UCLA….Western Union gold staqr mother trelegramsduringWW2…. Living opposite Art Carney and his parents above the Bohack Aartment,across the street. Carney, Jackie Gleason’s bus driver Ralph Kramden of Bensonhurst….Edward R. Murrow and his ghost writer Raymond Gram Swing of CBS…”Let’s Pretend.
Civics and te4nnis coach and Bridge virtuoso Murray Eisenstadtand hiwfe Kappie, celebrating 185 years of birthdays..he 95 ,.she 90. He tennis coach, also..Mr M<annheuimer o the ropes, trapeze, chinning bar…..
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Back in Fatbush, Wingate Field. Basketball, tenis, handball, baseball, track. Judge Wingate;s son, Surrogates Cort..our father propbate administrator a, clerk interpretor for 36 years. (Barbra Striesand father’s estate. His “What’s in a name? at President Truman’s library… Independence, Missouri.
The Plymouth and NaSSH driving on the West Side Highway, the Palisades…the summer Hay Fev er relief visits to the White Mountains, Nw Hampshire and the village Bethlehem…..Berniue Sanders Burlington, Vermont……the son of immigrants wo two!
April 12, 2016 Dr. Sigmund Freud’s ‘Civilization and itsDiscontents’
