Anyone out there remember my old pal, "Gruff"? That wasn't his name, of course, but we called him that because he was loud and overbearing. Fortunately, he had a great voice, an announcer's voice, so we listened to his bad jokes and goofy sayings without too much difficulty. "Gruff" passed away several years ago, and I was saddened to find no mention of it anywhere--hence this posting. His real name was Richard, and back when we were teenagers, the girls called him Uncle Dickie. His claim to fame? Except for a stint in the Army and time away at Boston College, he lived for most of his 69 years in Jackson Heights. He grew up in Hampton Court, got married and raised two kids in the Towers, and then moved back to Hampton Court until the end. Dick and I were part of a circle of friends who enjoyed the best of times in Jackson Heights in the late 50s and early 60s. We hung out in the P.S. 69 school yard and, frequented Maxel's, Harry Martin's, and The Rendezvous. We got to see all of the horror and science fiction films you could ever imagine at the Jackson and the Boulevard theaters , and we bounced back and forth between St Mark's and Community churches on the eternal quest for girls. On Saturday nights we danced to The Drifters and listened to the Kingston Trio at friends apartments in the Chateau.
In addition to Gruff, our crowd included guys named Rod, John, Charlie B., Tommy, Chas. and Garry (also known as Rippy). The girls were sisters Ann and Linda, Barbara and Erika, Inky, Lotte and sharp-witted Dede. We patronized Toddle House, Jahns, The White Castle on 69th Street and, when Herc from Astoria supplied the wheels, we'd visit Kiddie City and Fairyland. To pay for it all I delivered liquor for Kurt Gugenheimer's 82nd Street Wines and Liquors and worked at a factory called Flour Mix. Dick had a summer job as a landscaper and helped keep the neighborhood's famous gardens in shape. To be sure, Dick probably saw more of old and new Jackson Heights than just about anyone I could imagine. If you knew him, your comments would be appreciated.