Time Tripping or Fantasy?

I think the time has come for me to decide what it is that I am trying to do with this blog. For inspiration, I thought about Kurt Vonnegut, one of my favorite authors, especially about his novel Slaughterhouse Five. While in my misspent youth, I was an avid reader of Science Fiction, this book introduced me to the theory of time tripping; the ability to live in more than one time zone at the same time. The ability to be in Nazi Germany one moment and elsewhere at the mere blink of an eye.


Upon reflection, I realize that what Billy Pilgrim experienced is far and away more than I ever have, but there are similarities. I don't think I am alone in having thoughts that race through my mind transporting me from the present to the past and then leaping into the future. These flights of fantasy sometimes blur my sense of what is happening to me at the moment and can color my perception of reality. Some might call this fabrication, but I prefer embellishment.

I sense that Danny Kaye's movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, is a better representation of my approach to life and this blog. I am in way a "time tripper", but more in line with Mitty who lives a very exciting life in his vivid daydreams than he does in reality. For example, at this moment writing this blog, I can imagine winning the PEN Award for the best writing for a new author over 75. Granted there might be no award of this nature, it seems very real and attainable to me.


Enough of this background, let's get to some specific examples of my journey.


I burst on the scene of life one Christmas morning at The Flower Hospital in New York City. I have no recollection of my entrance, but to this day I can swear that I heard Sinatra deliver a mantra for me to follow. And follow it I did.


My stay in the hospital was short. Rumor has it that they couldn't get rid of me fast enough. I remember very little about this stage of my life except that we lived on the west side of Manhattan and then moved to Riverdale in The Bronx. I can only imagine that when I first appeared at home, I was greeted by the sight of an older sister who I sensed was not pleased having me in HER home. In retrospect from what I have heard I was far from an easy kid. This is based on reports from my sister and in later years from the attitudes of my parents. My mother took to calling me Junior when there was not a Senior in the home. I think that the family was sending me a message.

As some of you remember, Riverdale was the home of Archie, Jughead, Veronica and Betty. While I never ran into them during my formative years, there was one experience I remember well. It caused me a great deal of angst and a spanking. 


I was playing cowboys and Indians with my friends and we tied a girl up to a tree and then forgot about her. She was found by her hysterical parents and since I was deemed the ringleader, I had to face the wrath of my dreaded parents. There is a postscript to this story. When I was in college, a friend fixed me up on a blind date with a girl who lived in Riverdale. When she opened the door, she let out a horrified scream as she was the very same girl we had tied to a tree many years ago.


There was no second date.


Shortly after the Second world War started, we moved back to Manhattan this time on the East Side of the Island. We landed on 96th Street and I entered PS 6. I met a short, rotund boy who became a friend of almost 65 years. To protect his identity, I will refer to him simply as "T."


During this time, we would drift apart and then come together. The last separation occurred shortly after I got married almost 51 years ago. After the birth of our first daughter, we moved into a newly constructed building on 86th Street. Many years later, I brought trash out to the compactor room and lo and behold bumped into T  who had not only moved into the building, but also onto the same floor. 


If there are any more blogs of this nature, T will be a continuing character especially in the early years. Let me know if this subject is of any interest.


In any case, life does work in mysterious ways.


For now, let's end with one of my favorite singers with one of her signature songs.