Memories of a Life and Other Thoughts

The family lived in Queens New York, a few blocks from Brooklyn, in an apartment near the intersection of Fairview Ave. and Himrod St. My mother's father had passed away. My mother and grandmother were then without the man in their lives. My mother's brother, after whom I am named, and her two sisters lived in this apartment. My grandmother soon remarried and had given me two more uncles and another aunt. When I joined the fray in February of 45, I had three aunts and three uncles, a grandmother and grandfather to assist my mother. My natural father had deserted us. So, until I was four years of age this became the household in which I was raised. I wanted for nothing and nothing threatened my wellbeing. I remain eternally grateful to my early family most of whom have now passed away. I treasure the lessons I learned at their hands. As a young man following high school I enlisted and served in the Air Force as a Low Pressure Chamber Technician instructing pilots and flying personnel in atmospheric physiology, survival, ejection and bailout procedures, and most importantly, to introduce them to their symptoms of hypoxia. The low oxygen content at the altitudes they fly requires a supplementary supply. It's hoped that a pilot will recognize these symptoms should they occur, and then take corrective measures to save his life. After my stint in the military, I worked my way up to a position as foreman on a microelectronics assembly line. The degree of competition in that field is high and I soon suffered a layoff. I then applied for a position with the phone company and ended up directing repairs to phone circuits in the Repair Service Bureau. Now that I've retired I suppose this book is part of my bucket list. Hence the memories and thoughts herein.