A baby book your kids will page through all the time. Each page has adorable illustrations of cats, of different sizes, colors, and shapes, cuddling and laying together, making the cutest cuddle puddle ever!
Very Cutest Cat Cutest Kittens Cats Photo Book For Kids Cat Memes Baby Kittens Cats Photo Book Downl
Meow the Jewels succeeded, in large part, because El-P unwittingly tapped into what you might call the cat-powered consciousness of the Internet. During the last decade, cats have become synonymous with online cuddles and chuckles. In 2006, the website LOLcats.com began turning hundreds of cats in ridiculous situations or compromised poses into memes, with large and mostly misspelled text stripped across the top and the bottom of each photo.
StartEndSpeakerTranscript4.19.49JWlipsmack Okay I'm um Jordan Wright. I'm thirteen years old.9.7917.2JWThe date is December twenty eighth. um We're in Countee Cullen Library in Harlem and this is my grandmother.17.7824.59CWOhh um uh I'm Constance Wright. I'm eighty seven and a half years old.24.9932.34CWToday is December twenty eighth nineteen -- two thousand seven and uh32.7440.75CWI am also in the Countee Cullen Library in Harlem and eh I'm with my grandson Jordan.43.2145.09JWAnd so where did you grow up?45.7953.42CWWhat? uh Before I grew up I was born and I was born in Harlem and I grew up in Harlem.54.4562.03CWI have lived in Harlem all of my life with little breaks here and there uh62.1764.18CWin the suburbs of New Jersey.65.7869.66JWOkay. What was the child like -- childhood like in Harlem?70.0474.78CWWell contrary to um76.6282.66CWthe ideas and attitudes of people far far away from Harlem um82.7690.15CWit was a rather bucolic existence. I mean we lived S- um a very very happy go lucky life.90.697.48CWuh We did all the things that you hear in all the so called idealized communities. uh We played,97.71105.45CWwe were taken places, we ate, um we interacted with our parents, we had105.49108.19CWuh chores to do. um108.63116.63CWBoringly normal in one way but V- very reassuring and happy as a child. Mhm.116.28121.1JWbreath Did you have any brothers or sisters that you grew up with that got to represent with this childhood with you?119.02123.05CWI uh got -- in that case I had one brother. My brother and I123.36129.04CWcough were the only children in my -- in my mother and father's family. And we were129.69136.06CWborn rather close together. Ohh he was two years older than I was lipsmack and136.44142.29CWwe went everywhere together and we did everything together so much so that nobody said Raymond142.66149.42CWwithout saying Connie. So they all -- everybody always asked where's Raymond and Connie? Where's Raymond and Connie?149.69157.31CWIt was never one without the other. We were very -- we had a very close relationship. Now and again stormy as brothers and sisters157.34162.07CWwill do but it never lasted very long because um162.45167.95CWwe felt close together. We did a lot of things together maybe. uh168.22175.33CWDoesn't happen nowadays. uh We went on to -- we -- we made up trips to take within the city limits175.33183.13CWand we went on them together so we had to figure out how to go and come. lipsmack We played together. His friends were my friends183.6190.42CWand it was uh a very wonderful warm intimate relationship that we shared growing up.191.11191.66JWum193.65201.55JWlipsmack um What kind of S- like you talk about what -- specifically what kind of things did you do together? Like did you go out to the pool in the summer or?200.53208.3CWWell for one -- yes well now yes -- well for one thing as I can think far back -- the thing we did always208.36215.89CWwas go to my grandmother's house together. And my grandmother lived on a Hundred Thirty Fourth Street and we lived one a Hundred Thirty215.99222.79CWEighth Street. lipsmack And I can know that uh whenever we set out to go to my grandmother's house uh223.01230.38CWmy -- my brother was always forewarned to look out for me and to keep hold of me. That he was told to take230.42236.57CWmy hand but he took my neck instead and we would walk down the street with his hand236.79241.91CWholding me around the neck so that I couldn't move too much to the left or to the right.242.44248.86CWAnd when we got to a Hundred Thirty Fifth Street it was a big wide street. We were like six --248.86256.42CWI was about six and he was about eight and that presented a problem but the solution was to go down into the256.48264.07CWsubway on one side of the street and come up on the other side of the street. And we were on our way down264.14271.1CWto a Hundred Thirty Fourth Street to see my grandmother. breath So that was one of the things we used to do all the time because we liked to go to her house.271.28277.3CWShe let us romp on her couch which my mother didn't let us do and mess it up -- anyway we277.75285.02CWwanted to mess it up. And then we had another -- we had a great grandmother who lived down in what is now called285.25292.01CWChelsea. Was down -- Eighteenth Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenue and292.84299.22CWI don't know how my brother -- he -- my -- my -- my brother always seemed to know much more than I do -- did. He knew how to get down there.299.36305.31CWAnd so my mother would uh review with him how we were going to get from a Hundred Thirty Eighth Street305.31311.3CWdown to eighteenth Street and ninth Avenue and then she would let us go as far as (())312.37319.32CWAnd we would uh we would take the um the L then they called it. In those days on eighth Avenue319.64323.28CWthey had the elevated trains on -- they were on -- breath323.28330.17CWwell +basically the elevated trains were on third Avenue, sixth Avenue, and ninth Avenue but we could get a330.61338.7CWum over on -- it was over on eighth Avenue that we picked it up. And uh we would take it on downtown. You'd have to change339.02346.91CWto the um express at -- but my brother had the situation well in hand and we -- downtown we went.347.09354.79CWAnd Fifty Ninth Street it would take a big wide curve to get to over this to ninth Avenue.355.07359.71CWAnd it was wonderful train ride (()) (()) and I felt very very grown up.360.69364.93JWWhat were your great grandmother and your grandmother like as people?364.31366.49CWW- where did they live?366.15367.89JWlipsmack As people what were they like?367.81374.96CWWhat were they like? Well truth to tell I really didn't care for my great grandmother.375.18383.07CWum She was rather um a stiff formal person. Very -- she was very tiny and she was very383.12390.09CWstiff and she wore they would look like costumes today because they were long black dresses that went all the way390.11395.85CWdown to the floor and they had the bosoms that came out and the very wasp waist395.85403.88CWand she was always very S- and the white starched collars and -- and the hair was done up and that's the way she always looked.403.96411.11CWI -- I wondered if she laugh you know ever went to bed or changed those clothes but they were always very stiff as you see -- you eh411.14416.21CWsometimes in the pictures you look at them olden times. And uh418.65425.72CWsh- -- sh- -- she -- we -- we -- she was always very formal with us. She would find seats for us and we would sit down425.91433.59CWand then she would ask us questions. Can you do this and can you do that? And when you get my age -- I can remember her saying once433.67439.19CWwhen you get my age if you can do this you'll be in good physical condition and she bent over and touched --439.43447.51CWtouched her -- her toes. And she was in her seventies or eighties at laugh that particular time. I was impressed. laugh447.55453.28CWBut my other grandmother ah those kinds of she -- she -- H- my grandmother not my great grandmother453.28461.43CWshe was not um very formal at all. She -- and we L- we adored her. But she was not always available to us. She seemed to be455.36456.57JWlipsmack She was loose?461.86469.74CWin the other room W- working on things all the time but she came out and she gave orders and people did things for us you know.470.2476.52CWThey would take us to the movies or they would uh G- take us to get lunch somewhere or the other you know.477.06482.07CWAnd she would let us stay overnight. That was the part we liked the best so um482.49490.83CWlipsmack or else she'd fix a gigantic dinner and everybody would come and they'd -- they'd -- they'd -- they'd have little contests about how much491.2498.62CWcorn they -- they could eat. She would bake a -- fix a -- a -- a plate of -- of corn that seemed to go almost up to the sky.498.81505.11CWAnd people would say ohh I can eat seven ears or I can eat -- and I couldn't imagine people that many ear- but they did.505.11511.1CWYou know and it was fun at the dinner table with my -- my grandmother. She was you know very informal511.45514.04CWand inviting as a person. breath514.04515.9JWWhat were your mother and father like?516.8523.07CWWell breath my father was a rather formal person and my mother was very informal.523.61529.65CWuh When you talked to your -- my father you minded your Ps and your Qs and your English as well.530.29536.82CWAnd my mother well you could talk to her any way you wanted to talk to her you know breath but uh lipsmack536.82540.54CWget her to do things that maybe she hadn't a mind to do.540.75547.9CWOne of the things we liked to do was to um in those days eat lunch in the summertime on the fire escape.547.9549.62CWThat was like picnicking550.67557.94CWand uh she wasn't always eh +interested interested in us being out on the fire escape.558.01563.25CWBut we would plead with her and we'd take a blanket and lay it out there and we'd buy liverwurst563.74571.52CWum and -- and eh rolls we liked. I don't know what we drank but uh we would be on a picnic571.75578.05CWon the fire escape on the blanket when the sun H- had passed by that part of our uh578.35584.47CWlipsmack our buildings. And we could even take a nap out there after -- we loved -- we loved O- out on the fire escape584.47588.25CWon a -- we called ourselves being on a picnic. That's when we were very small.589.07593.26JWWell do you have any favorite stories from childhood? One that really stand out to you.593.95600.18CWum you mean -- you mean eh literary stories. I used -- I used to read the nursery rhymes600.36608.08CWall the time again and again and again over and over and over. My mother -- at first my mother would read them to me608.36611.85CWand then sh- one day she said you can read it yourself612.64618.49CWso I began to try to read it myself and I know I'd be in one room and she'd be in another618.79623.16CWand I would come across a word I didn't know and I would yell out to her623.52630.99CWmomma what does you know B_L_A_C_K spell? And she'd yell it back and I'd go on with my story. breath630.99637.13CWYes and so I -- I knew the nursery +rhymes er rhymes like the back of my hand backwards and forwards you know637.03637.41JWWell --637.13641.18CWLittle Bo Peep or um um um um641.2647.97CWThe Three Blind Mice or you know all of the nursery rhymes that were in these books that I had.648.42655.06JWAnd what was your favorite adventure I could say with your -- that you had with father -- I mean with your brother or any other one of your relatives?654.15655.98CWFavorite adventure I had?659.07660.15CWI suppose661.27667.21CWadventure meaning going off by myself or adventure being -- being with my -- with -- with the adults?666.59669.11JWlipsmack It could be with anyone. Just in general.668.37675.18CWHang on. I think the biggest thing that stood out in my child is that -- at -- in my mind as a child is when I was taken675.2681.83CWto Niagra Falls because they -- we -- I think we slept overnight on the -- on -- on the train682.2690.3CWon the way and then after we got there we stayed in this big house and the next day we were taken to the falls.691.22695.04CWlipsmack We stayed in Buffalo. I don't know -- I don't know the lady's name695.35702.96CWbut uh she bought us these big jars -- big -- they weren't jars they were cans of peanut butter703.35711.13CWW- with -- you know that you could carry. It was like a pail. And -- and it only costs five cents and it's was a +great great big pail of peanut butter711.43719.81CWand it -- that she had bought each one of us a pail of peanut butter. breath And then I remember going to the falls and putting on the raincoats720.35728.51CWand then suddenly my grandmother appeared. She met us there and we all went under the falls together with these -- with these ah raincoats on.728.93735.49CWAnd then we got into this big car and we stopped along the way and -- and we bought um736.17742.39CWthere again we bought T- big tomatoes and they gave us salt -- salt and in this742.49748.959CWcar as we're riding we're eating tomatoes with the salt on it and I had -- these are things that I had never done before yeah.749.6757.4CWSo that stands out in my mind going under the falls and riding in the car and stopping and buying tom- big basket of tomatoes757.81760.02CWand the lady giving us the peanut butter.761.39767.54JWWas your brother the -- the one you had the strongest relationship as a child or was it your mother or father or?766.44770.77CWWhat's -- what breath and I missed that Jordy. Could you tell me again?771.47776.86JWWas your F- was it your brother who you had the strongest relationship in your family or was it your mother or your?776.88784.16CWOhh the -- the strongest relationship was with my brother. Yeah I mean we -- we -- we planned things and thought784.25788.66CWhow to get them. Or else we were told to do things together788.88796.09CWand we had to work out the division of labor or the division of responsibility. lipsmack I remember once we were --796.31803.36CWmy grandmother was taking us on a boat ride breath eh and uh you had to get the tickets in advance803.4809.14CWfrom the church so my grandmother gave my brother who was the older809.74817.11CWmoney for the tickets to buy and uh we got outside and we walked half a block817.43823.9CWand my brother said here you buy them and he shoved the money at me. Well neither one of us knew --824.58830.73CWit turned out to be Saint Philip's Church by the way but neither one of us had ever been to Saint Philip's before830.94835.85CWand we -- neither one of us wanted to go in breath and speak to the lady to order the tickets.836.19841CWBut he being the older he called the shots and he shoved the money at me.841848.93CWtold me I had to go in and I said I'm not going. I'm not going. laugh breath And we got to the church office and he walked on849.1856.54CWto the corn- he wasn't going to laugh and I didn't know what to do so I finally screwed up my courage and went in and bought the tickets856.54858.66CWfor the boat ride. cough859.71865.09JWWhat were holidays like in your family? Did a lot of people come over or what went on in general?864.54866.85CWWell I -- I C- well I can remember867.89873.72CWThanksgiving. I can +remember +remember uh Thanksgiving when we went to my uncle's house874.15880.79CWuh for Thanksgiving dinner. They -- and I can remember they had a big table maybe about twice this size880.86889.06CWand everybody sat around the table uh for dinner and my uncle made wine during the winter. He made889.61897.11CWred wine. He had it in great big vats under the sink and so that was the wine that we drank897.16905.55CWfor Thanksgiving dinner. And then he had a Stromberg-Carlson in those days which was an unique possession. It was a radio.906.13914.25CWAnd after dinner was over we all sat around the Stromberg-Carlson to listen to the music or stories or whatever914.67921.81CWcame across. I remember that as one Thanksgiving. Christmas was al- well Christmas was always a big howl922.18929.36CWbecause Santa Claus was a big thing in children's lives in those days and for weeks they held it over your head929.73937.47CWthat if you weren't good Santa Claus wasn't coming you know that Santa Claus wasn't coming you know. All straightened up and get that uh937.68943.73CWback in order and at the end we didn't sleep in our own rooms943.75950.9CWwhen it was Sant- time for Santa Claus because our rooms the -- the -- the D- you had to pass through our rooms when you950.93955.64CWcame into the apartment so then we got to sleep in my mother and father's bed956.09963.88CWbecause that was the end room in the apartment and Santa didn't go into that room. So we had to sleep in there so that uh964.34971.85CWum Santa wouldn't come unless you were fast asleep and we couldn't wake up and see Santa and chase Sant- make Santa go away. breath971.85978.93CWSo that was fun. We got to sleep in my mother and father's bed when it was -- and we waited and waited and waited and waited979.7986CWand I remember once I fell asleep and woke up Santa hadn't come but my uncle had986.37993.79CWand we had some -- we had a fireplace and the stockings were on the fireplace and my uncle had put oranges994.241001.64CWand I wondered what kind of gift was that you know. But I late- later learned that it was um a very famous Russian1001.671006.23CWcustom to put oranges in -- in the children's stockings so1006.821013.08CWwhere -- where he had acquired it I don't know. But he brought oranges and put in our stockings and that was supposed to be a treat.1015.131020.7JWWhere do you remember like going traveling internationally or in the U_S? What trips do you remember the most?1021.761027.93CWI began my international travels when I became an adult and my children1028.051030.29CWwere practically grown. I didn't uh1031.421036.85CWyou know I'd had my nose to the wheel before that you know working. I had to work every day.1037.671044.18CWum But I began to -- my first trip I -- abroad I would say was to Africa. I went to Senegal.1044.971051.88CWum During the Easter holidays they had what was called um the first world1052.531057.53CWAfrican festival. And it was in Senegal I think it was nineteen sixty1058.881065.61CWthree or nineteen sixty four. And all of the countries you know participated. It was for ten days. breath1065.611073.36CWI remember it only cost five hundred and seventy four dollars for ten days to go and the -- all meals including sleeping accommodations1073.841081.2CWand we were in these lovely lovely little huts surrounding this big hotel which was the hotel in Senegal1081.421083.98CWat that time. breath lipsmack1083.21085.11JWWhat was your favorite part of that trip?1085.641093.35CWThe interesting part? The interesting part to me was that the trip was ten days long and I didn't sleep for ten days and ten nights. laugh1093.371100.74CWWhen I got back breath on that tr- or that plane I slumped in my sleep and I never budged until the plane1100.761106.29CWtouched down. breath I was exhausted but I had a merry old time. laugh1106.471108.51JWWhere else have you gone internationally? Is that it?1107.351112.99CWI -- and well then -- then I got G- I got to -- I got to see some historic sites too.1113.391117.25CWI don't want to make light of it all. Got to -- I got to the um lipsmack1117.251124.98CWeh the ports where the slaves worked were -- were transferred to an island called Goree Island and kept1125.181128.99CWuntil -- till the ships um um um1130.291137.77CWuh packed them on board for the transatlantic uh um tr- uh trip to the Americas1135.441136.31JWSlave trade?1137.81144.89CWhere and to the West Indies right. So it was historic and entertaining as well. Well we --1145.031151.42CWbecause we met people from all over the world. there you know and it was much interacting. cough1151.311153.68JWWhat were your favorite movies as a child?1154.311157.17CWWell huh my favorite movies?1158.871165.01CWum The Good Earth was one I remember with Pearl Buck was a book that was about this big.1165.611173.56CWIt took me forever to read it but uh I read every single word in that book. She was a beauti- I considered her a beautiful writer at that time.1174.051180.311CWum I as a younger child I read all the -- all the um ah1181.4141187.71CWohh Bobbsey Twins that's it. Every -- every -- I had to get every Bobbsey Twin book that came out and I had to1187.741193.22CWget the next book the next book the next book. So that was the -- the well you know1193.441197.84CWthe series that I liked as a young child growing up. um1199.111200.64CWOther books that I liked?1203.531207.71CWOhh there's a lot. A lot of them that their names aren't coming to me now. uh1208.841209.36CWHm.1210.741218.19CWI remember um when I was in junior high I began to read some -- some serious books like um breath1218.191226.07CWuh The Gold Bug I remember having to read and uh the -- these were assigned books. These were not books that I picked out myself but1226.161229.84CWsome of them were good and I enjoyed. Kidnapped I remember because1230.121236.37CWin doing -- in reading the book we not only had to read the book in school but we had to make a book report1236.591244CWand we not only had to make a book report we had to make a cover for the book report and it had to -- it had to relate to the book.1244.481251.96CWAnd sometimes I got so caught up in the book report I was forgetting to write -- I mean the cover I was forgetting to write the book report.1253.571257.19JWWell what -- what were about -- what about your teachers when you were younger? What were they like?1258.221265.02CWThat only varied from soup to nuts as they do even today. Some are very nice and engaging and encouraging1258.271259.24JWTeachers.1265.371271.39CWand others were very strict but you could tell in their strictness that they were concerned that you1271.871278.1CWlearned a certain body of work and they -- they were there to see that you learned it before you left their care1278.551287.26CWand then there were some who were indifferent and then some who were prejudiced. I mean you -- you -- you ran the gambit of teachers in school.1287.611291.65CWAnd you made your adjustments uh as they needed to be made.1291.971295.65JWRemember any of their names or what they did or any of their traits?1294.361297.93CWWell I can remember my favorite teacher12991305.59CWuh as -- what happened early on is that my brother started school before I started school.1306.111310.45CWBut when he started school I wanted to go to school too. And it was right1311.411315.15CWnear here hund- uh hun- um a hundred thirty fifth P_S eighty nine.1316.141322.94CWbreath And my mother would take -- we would take H- took him to school and I clung to the -- to the -- to the1323.081326.27CWteacher's skirts and asked her could I stay? Could I stay?1326.51333.23CWAnd every once in a while she let me stay even though I laugh I didn't belong in school. I was only four or five years old in1333.231338.73CWkindergarten she'd -- that's -- I mean that's how relaxed things were and then she'd let me stay for the day you know.1339.061345CWHer name was Miss Gluck I'll never forget that and I said I was going to be a teacher when I grew up just like Miss Gluck.1346.471348.09JWcough lipsmack M-1347.31350.19CWI was. laugh1349.561351.48JWWhere did you teach as a teacher?1351.971356.61CWOhh boy as a teacher ah I have taught1357.711365.77CWum well I student taught in the kindergartens and then I taught first, second, third grades1366.951368.43CWand then I taught1369.491372.01CWfourth and fifth. I never taught sixth grade.1373.011376.8CWAnd then I became an assistant principal.13781379.5CWAnd then I taught teachers.1380.51383.2CWlipsmack Okay um1384.171387.11CWand uh at that point I was uh1388.041393.62CWin charge of -- it was in a junior high school and I was in charge of the mathematics for the school.1394.591402.39CWSo I had -- I had charge of the mathematics teachers and the curriculum in mathematics in the school. breath1401.821404.75JWWas math your favorite subject as a kid when you were going to school?1404.191407CWlipsmack what was my F- M- my F-1406.051408.48JWbreath Was math eh was math --1407.661415.58CWThe fav- my favorite math subject was algebra simply because we had an algebra teacher who kept your feet1415.591422.02CWto the fire. There wasn't any way to get away with not doing all of your homework.1422.361426.52CWWe had I remember one, two, three big boards1426.961432.02CWand as we came in -- and those boards were divided into small segments just big enough1432.021439.77CWfor uh one person to put one problem. And as we came in she called names and she filled up all of those boards1440.91449.18CWuh and you had to do the next problem, the next problem, the next so -- and they went over every problem that you put up on the board and you had to explain it.1450.091455.95CWBy the time she finished every child in the class had -- had been at the board and she had seen their work.1457.161465.42CWAnd uh there was no getting away because you never knew which one you were going to be called up to do so every night you had to do all of your homework1465.481467.25CWand I thought that was pretty cunning of her.1468.551473.78CWAnd I learned algebra laugh to boot. laugh breath1470.881477.44JWbreath breath What was your favorite grade when you were going to school? Like your favorite grade in --1478.151479.49CWMy favorite grade?1480.521488.55CWI think my favorite grade was kindergarten because I loved the teacher and not only that she engaged the parents and I remember once1488.551496.66CWshe gave a concert for the -- for the parents after school and each parent had to do something and I volunteered my mother to sing and she nearly1496.711504CWkilled me. laugh Sh- because she used to sing in the choir in church so I knew she could sing.1504.21505.5CWShe told uh1506.621511.7CWshe did it but boy when she came out she said don't you ever do that again. laugh1512.091519.82CWbreath But they -- they -- they had teas for the parents you know. They not -- the parents -- the parents had to entertain them. That one was my favorite, kindergarten.1520.021522.61JWWhat were your sons like when they were growing up?1524.371526.25CWPiece of work. laugh1527.791533.08CWThey were very, very different. Jeff was -- is a loner1534.011541.43CWand Je- Keith was and is very gregarious. He has to have people around him.1542.881543.65CWuh1545.031552.3CWAlthough Jeff would suffer one friend um but you never knew eh W- he -- he was an oddball.1552.311556.88CWYou know you never knew -- one friend he chose um1558.331559.23CWthe parents1560.651568.59CWwere dumb. They could not speak so it was -- it was difficult communicating sometimes with them in order to make dates for the children1568.721573.13CWto get toge- for the two boys to get together. And uh1575.231581.37CWthe other boy something was -- something was about him that was different.1581.71588.79CWHe was sort of an oddball in his family. I would consider Jeff an oddball and he always had oddball friends.1591.031592.17JWDid they fight a lot?1594.21601.72CWum Not -- well the uh I -- I wouldn't say they fought a lot. I would say Jeff picked on Mike a lot.1601.721606.34CWI mean picked on Keith a lot because Keith -- there was six years difference between them1606.931613.85CWand Jeff as a little boy had used to always say to me he wanted a brother. He wanted a brother.1614.091622.2CWBut then when Jeff -- when Keith was born he would ignore him or else he W- he would -- he -- he wouldn't treat him very nicely1622.591629.14CWand so once I sat him down and I said now Je- Keith -- Jeff you always said you wanted a brother. Now that you have a brother1629.141637.18CWdon't you think you -- you -- you -- you could treat him better? No. Took too long to come and didn't need him after that. laugh1639.061644.48JWDid they have any pets or did you have any pets when they were growing up or when you were growing up? Yeah.1643.531647.33CWPets? Ohh yes we had two, two cats.1647.541648.49JWWhat were they like?1649.561656.85CWW- eh E- each one was completely different from the other although they were brothers. The cats -- what happened was there -- there were two girls1656.861662.85CWwho lived on the ground floor of the building we lived in lipsmack and they had two Siamese C- cats.1663.151670.7CWand their mother had said -- and -- and J- breath Keith wanted a cat. We -- can I? I said nah please. I -- you know it's enough with the1670.711677.23CWtwo of you and now the cats too? I said alright, alright because they were Siamese cats and1677.231683.13CWthose two Siamese cats were cute. One was the mother and one was the -- was -- was -- was her child.1683.851690.47CWBut then they had the apartment uh painted and it's the same apartment you live in. They had their apartment painted.1690.891697.39CWAnd they left the window open S- so that the smell of the turpentine um would diminish1697.811705.54CWbecause it was you know very hard to uh live in. You know it was caustic and the two cats got out.1706.511709.87CWlipsmack And one of them came back pregnant.1710.821718.88CWWell it just so happens that Siamese when they are in breed and they have litter they only have one or two.1720.061726.4CWSo when he asked could he have one of -- one of uh Oatmeal's cats when they came I'd said ohh, sure1726.911730.96CWbecause I saw Oatmeal having one cat you know. laugh1731.541739.23CWWell when Oatmeal's litter was born there was about seven cats in the litter because she was out of breed and1740.061747.79CWuh the cats were take -- well taken care of until -- until the moth- the -- the -- the -- the girl's mother decided that they could -- they could be given away.1748.231755.74CWAnd uh your father walked up with these two cats and I said Jared -- uh G- uh Keith I told you you could have a cat.1756.221762.41CWWell Jared -- that -- I brought this one for Jeff. I said yeah but -- but G-1762.671770.58CWI can -- you can only have one and this -- this -- this is such a cute little one right here. Supposing we kept -- keep him and you take the other one back.1771.091778.39CWAnd then he said to me very plaintively but that's not mine. laugh The other -- breath so I said well don't you like him? Because he was the1778.421786.34CWprettier cat. He was all black and shiny. The other one was sort of mixed with gray. lipsmack But the -- the black cat was really very pretty1786.561788.22CWbut he told me that wasn't his cat.1788.931796.27CWHe W- had the other cat. And so I said ohh, well uh you eh what I do to one I'll do to the other. I'll just do it at the same time.1796.591803.61CWOkay you can -- so then we had two cats and they named them. Their names were Ralph -- Rocky. That was1803.981811.24CWJeff's cat. And Scratchy because he had long scratchy nails with oof -- that was your father's cat.1811.981821.16CWAnd we loved them, loved them, loved them to death. One -- Scratchy lived to be nineteen years old and Rocky lived to be twenty one.1811.981812.76JWDid they --1822.081825.62JWWhat did -- were they -- did they get into a lot of fights as brothers?1824.631832.33CWbreath uh Well they -- they -- they -- they were not well mated at all. I mean they were not -- they were brothers but they did not get along. Scratchy1832.671836.89CWwas the dominant one, very, very dominant and he um1838.151844.95CWlipsmack intimidated Rocky. He wouldn't let Rocky eat any food until he had finished eating all he wanted1845.11852.75CWwhich was emptying his plate plus as much as he wanted of Rocky's plate and then whatever was left little Rocky could have.1853.211859.56CWAnd I would take Rocky in the bathroom, close the door to isolate him. Rocky wouldn't touch his plate.1860.031866.54CWHe wouldn't touch his plate until Scratchy had had what he wanted of it whenever he got at it. I --1867.21874.55CWit was really amazing to watch the personalities and the influence one had over the other just like -- it was just like1874.841876.27CWtwo human beings.1876.621880.84JWbreath breath So um how much1881.251887.61JWum did they act up like -- did they act like the same as um the brothers?1886.211893.91CWWell they didn't go scrambling and fighting through the house. They didn't do things like that. No they were well -- they came -- they were -- they were -- they were trained --1893.941901.02CWpotty trained when they got to me. I never had a moment's worry about training them. They were trained when they came.1901.381906.51CWAnd uh there was no -- never any problem except that liked -- they liked to scratch the furniture.1907.431915.49CWAnd they -- we went through S- three living room suites because I had posts with the kitty -- the -- the smell1910.841911.67JWWell --1915.531923.13CWyou know that they like. No. They just wanted the front -- laugh the front of the couches were th- were their1923.411927.95CWfavorite place and they just used to scratch all -- all the cloth off.1928.081931.79JWDid you have any friends as a child? Any best friends that you knew?1932.91934.905JWAnd -- yeah as a child.1932.971936.63CWDid I have best friends? I'd lots of best friends. Yeah.1937.121939.26JWWhat were their names? What were they like and --1938.921946.68CWWell I'm -- I'm S- breath I remember my fi- I -- she may have been my best friend but I don't know that I was1946.71953.11CWher be- best friend. Her name was uh Norma Bunny Norma1953.161959.63CWAdelle Miller was -- I consider her my first friend lipsmack and I trailed1959.81966.2CWher everywhere she went. She was older, she was very active, very fascinating girl. I would --1966.361969.07CWif ever my mother were looking for me she'd1969.071976.72CWfirst you know send somebody in to ring Norma's bell to see if I were there. And I would be -- be in Norma's house1977.061984.39CWbecause she fascinated me. She was -- she was witty. She could do anything. She could +jump +rope rope. breath1984.791990.91CWBetter than anybody -- she could do things bet- and she was friendly. She would take you home to her mother and there seemed to be1991.481999.66CWnothing but children in that house but they always made a seat for me to sit anyhow and have a cup of tea with -- with milk in it.2000.362006.15CWThings that I didn't ha- and when you washed your hands you -- you -- you washed them with -- with Lifebuoy soap.2006.572012.72CWWe didn't have Lifebuoy soap in my laugh house. We had -- my mother says well I use Ivory.2013.252021.28CWAnd she -- and I wanted her to get a -- a -- a cake of Lifebuoy soap S- so badly. I just liked the way it smelled. laugh2021.492028.84CWbreath And I wanted to have tea with milk in it and she wouldn't let me have tea. So I just liked all the things they did that were different from2028.942035.94CWwhat went on in my house. um breath Well you know but it -- if somebody came in draw up a chair. The -- the -- the -- the --2030.742032.49JWI'm trying to remember um2035.942043.99CWwe'd -- we didn't ha- we -- the four of us ate dinner every evening and you know if there were guests it was a B- it was a planned event. There wasn't any casual2044.312047.05CWco- come and sit down you know. laugh2047.582049.91JWDid you have any favorite toys as a child?2049.962056.18CWOhh, yeah. I still have it. It's an electric stove. I showed it to you when you were a little boy. You don't remember.2056.482058.59CWAnd it still -- it still lights up2060.262067.06CWand I used to make cake and ohh, once we used to have colder weather in -- in -- in New York in those days.2067.272075.2CWThe gas froze and there was any gas to cook dinner and we pulled out my little electric stove and warmed up my mother's dinner2075.512081.59CWwith my stove. And ohh, we were all delighted that Connie's C- stove had saved the day. laugh2083.012083.65JWum2084.182089.89CWHe staying -- he doesn't -- not carrying me on. I hope this is alright. laugh2091.42096.92CWbreath We same -- what's interesting here -- I never knew you were interested in all of that. Carry on.2091.632092.22JWum2093.32095.32JWbreath2097.082099.084JWum What um2102.032105.32JWwhat was probably the worst thing that your brother did to you?2105.762107.714CWWorst thing that my brother did to me?2110.462112.92CWbreath I'm trying to think.2115.032120.12CWHe ah he did something so -- I can't th- well what was --2121.192125.54CWhe did something to me made me so angry.2128.132135.93CWOhh I know what would happen too. We would get allowances at the end of the week and he would try2137.352138.83CWto short change me2140.452141.18CWand2142.082149.87CWI didn't like it. And we'd get into little fights because of that and I -- we got into one fight once when we were on the way to the movies2149.872157.22CWthat I just took my finger and dug it into his cheek and the marks -- they -- the -- I just pulled that finger back2157.222162.77CWand I scraped off all the skin. That mark stayed there for the longest kind of time.2163.072170.19CWAnd I said well he'll know to leave me alone after this and give me my things. laugh2170.432176.05CWbreath And what else? We did -- we had some sticky wicky uh2176.052182.23CWfor instance as I say he would put me up to do the things that he was charged with doing in front of the family.2182.52189.43CWAfter we left the house he would reorder up things so that I had to -- I had to do the unpleasant part.2189.932197.43CWHe would do that and -- but then he would also look out for me too you know because we went to high -- when we were going to high school2197.742205.09CWwe would have to ride on the subway and in those days the subway was just packed and jammed like sardines.2205.642213.42CWAnd there were some unsavory characters on that subway. We used to have -- we used to have to take two or three +subways -- take this one up2213.562219.43CWhundred and sixty seven S- hundred and sixty seven street, cross over, come back down to you know before you2219.782224.69CWfinally got to your school. And he would always put me in front of him2225.72231.829CWand we would be up front so that nobody could get in front of me after that you know to protect me.2232.352238.43CWI -- so he protected me but he fought with -- we fought for turf just the same. laugh2239.22241.99JWum What kind of movies did you see with your brother?2242.32247.29CWEverything that -- and everything and anything. On Saturday -- we went to the movies every Saturday we --2247.292254.87CWand mainly we kept up with the serials. That was the big thing you know, the cliffhangers. All week long we argued about2254.922260.99CWhow it was going to begin. How could he get out of the fix that you know Tom Mix and2261.62269.51CWthe uh the cowboys, how were they going to get out of the fix we saw them last and uh at the movies. How were they going to2269.542277.59CWget -- how were they going -- ohh, you know what they're going to do you know and lipsmack we thought we were so sophisticated. But we loved -- we loved those serials.2281.42287.31JWum How were -- wait sorry I'm trying to think of -- breath2287.322291.11JWwhat were the serials? That was just one of the stories that they had in the movies?2290.152295.55CWMost of them were Westerns you can believe it and then there were some um2297.022298.62CWand I always said2300.12308.08CWthat that's the way a lot of children +learn learn to move going eh eh read going to the movies because they -- they -- they -- they would have these shorts2308.342316.24CWand some of the shorts were musicals in which they had songs and they had the bouncing ball bouncing on the words2316.262324.61CWof the song as it went along and -- and so you could just sing eh because you knew where the word was. The bouncing ball had hit there2324.792332.53CWand we learned -- we learned to -- and then the comics W- it was silent. It was in the silent movies so you had to learn to read in order to know what was2332.542339.22CWgoing on in the story. You know we -- and we really did because we were fascinated but mostly the stories were2339.542347.19CWWesterns or -- or -- or um ah Fatty Arbuckle you know funnies. uh2347.462354.86CWum Charlie Chaplin uh you know like that you know well that the --2355.12359.45CWthe -- the guy was fat and -- and the other one was skinny.2362.612370.45CWWell ohh, his name is uh that's not coming -- name is on the tip of my tongue but mostly the Westerns were the things that you know cowboys and Indians2370.772371.71CWlipsmack all the way.2372.352375.98JWWhat was your favorite game to play in like the playground when you were a child?2377.962384.31CWYou know I used to like -- the one I used to like was rattlesnake because we'd get on this line and we'd go2384.852392.73CWand we'd uh go in and out under each other's arms. We'd form a long line. The line could be as -- A- anybody could play and look there could be a whole2392.752400.23CWclass line long and we went in and out so that we twisted our little bodies around and our hands became crossed like this2400.732406.71CWand then at the end the -- the last one joined hands with the -- with the -- with the first one2406.822409.78CWand you jumped up and down and sang rattlesnake.2410.022417.02CWIt was fun and if you got it to work because lot -- there were lots of hitches in between. But when you got it to hurt -- work I thought it was a --2417.192421.4CWa nice -- nice finish you know. I liked rattlesnake.2421.992422.51JWum2423.442427.11JWDid you play any sports as a child or did you um2426.492432.67CWOhh when I was in college I +played played field hockey and I liked field hockey very much. uh2432.672435.73CWNot that I was any good at it but I liked it. laugh2436.042439.58JWum Do you like any sports now that you watch on T_V?2439.942444.31CWNot particularly. I try to keep up with you fellas but I eh2444.312451.59CWI was always trying to get uh your father and uncle away from the -- the -- the -- the -- the sports2451.592458.32CWso that they would do their homework. So I -- I -- I refused to be interested because I uh you know2458.642462.19CWI was trying to get them to get their lessons you know.2462.562470.04CWWhen I was younger before I married up at the polo grounds they used to have ladies day on Friday and let you in for -- for ten cents2470.312478.29CWand um lots of times we'd go up to polo grounds ladies day and see the game and I would enjoy it if I were there. I enjoyed baseball if I were2478.322485.3CWthere. Football if I were there. But if -- it -- it -- it never sustained me so I had to know the averages and2485.742492.99CWand scores and favorite players. It just -- it -- I would enjoy it if I were watching it at hand you know. breath2490.532498.11JWYeah. lipsmack Okay breath so um thank you for this interview. I learned a lot and2499.152500.121JWbreath thanks.2499.62504.114CWYou're welcome and I learned a lot too from you. laugh2501.1922503.484JWbreath Thank you. 2ff7e9595c
Comments