Friday, June 10, 2016
I went to PS 122 with Robert in the late 1940s. He was a strong but gentle soul. I remember going with him to the ballfield by the East River to hit and catch fly balls. He didn't know his own strength and hit the ball (my ball!!) over the fence and into the river. End of game!! He did this on two separate occasions. Both times my ball. I remember going to his apartment in Stuyvesant Town to watch Howdy Doodie. His parents had a parakeet. His dad was very handy. He could upholster furniture, repair a car, make fur coats and, I believe, built a summer house with his brother, in Woodbourne, NY.
They treated us to half pints of ice cream. It was great.
I lost track of him after my parents moved to Woodside, NY in 1953 but for some uncanny reason his name popped into my mind a week ago.
RIP Robert and my deepest condolances to his family.
Peter Barrett
