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Hugh, I will check that website out. I have not known anyone outside of NY that knew what "skelly" was. Not sure of the spelling, I know I just loved to play.

JG...I certainly remember Belmont Ave., choc'full o'pot hole right now...lol but I still love Brooklyn and I go home every few of months, I miss the slices so much! and other stuff too..lol I can't help but believe that you would have been a friend of mine.

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Hi "The Truth" in Atlanta!

Remember Belmont avenue, before Pitkin? Although we moved out to "fancy" Flatbush in 1960, I still was caught up in Brownsville, because even though I had a Regents scholarship and could have gone to any Ivy League school, my father soon died and I had little choice but to remain with my moms in the little store we had in Belmont ave. Actually a cold basement hole in the ground would be a far more accurate description. So I was stuck in Brownsvile till 1976, when finally I had had it. One riot and one robbery too many. Nonetheless, It was an experience, with the pushcarts and all, and being part of an America that has disappeared.
There was some cream in the coffee too :)

I am of the same generation and background and have many of the similar interests as Mr. George. I also followed his music criticism in the Voice and other publications during the 80's and 90's. He mentions his love of comics - has he read Johnathan Lethem's "Fortress of Solitude", and if so what does he think of it?
- As usual Leonard - Great show

Many thanks for and to Nelson George. We need people like Mr. George and his mother to help all of us to figure out how to deal with tough times, adversity.

JG...I grew up on the other end of Sutter from you, across the street from the projects, a Black nerd, girl scout, but I could fight, because I had to, especially when I wore that girl scout uniform to school, it was pretty traumatic for me too! I grew up and moved away immediately after turning 18.

I grew up first in the Tilden Housing Projects, and then moved down a few blocks to the Van Dyke on the corner of Sutter and Stone. But my experiences were probably a bit different than those of your guest. I was the only Jewish white kid left, and I had to wear a skull cap because my mother, a holocaust survivor, sent me to a yeshiva. It was tough for me, to say the least. How I survived I do not know, but it was pretty hairy and traumatic. It kind of colored my perception of things, and made me pretty paranoid. But thank God, those days are in the past, hopefully forever. Nonetheless there are some positive memories as well, though I can't think of many offhand. The mai lesson, is that we all have to learn to get along better than in the past.