Chapter One

I WAS A LITTLE GIRL LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE YEAR 1960. MY FATHER WORKED AS A STATIONARY ENGINEER AT A HOSPITAL IN THE BRONX CALLED BRONX LEBANON HOSPITAL. MY FATHER WORKED THE NIGHT SHIFT 11 PM TO 7 AM IN THE BOILER ROOM OF THE HOSPITAL. HE WORKED THE NIGHT SHIFT SO HE WOULD BE ABLE TO BE HOME TO TAKE CARE OF ME DURING THE DAY WHILE MY MOTHER WORKED AS A FILE CLERK AT A COMPANY IN NEW YORK CALLED JOE LOWE CORPORATION. THIS COMPANY EVENTUALLY MOVED TO NEW JERSEY. JOE LOWE CORPORATION MANUFACTURED ICE POPS. NEW YORK CITY WAS A VERY VIBRANT TOWN WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. I HAD MANY FRIENDS AT SCHOOL AND ACHIEVED AN EXCELLENT GRADE AVERAGE AT THE SCHOOL I WENT TO IN NEW YORK. THE SCHOOL WAS ST. CATHERINE OF GENOA IN NEW YORK CITY TAUGHT BY OUR LADY OF MERCY NUNS. ONE DAY AT SCHOOL I WAS OUTSIDE TALKING TO MY GIRLFRIENDS AND THE BOYS WERE PLAYING BASEBALL. I GOT HIT BY A BALL RIGHT IN THE FACE. MY NOSE STARTED TO BLEED AND THE NUN THOUGHT MY EYE WAS BLEEDING. SHE IMMEDIATELY TOOK ME INSIDE THE SCHOOL AND WASHED MY FACE TO SEE IF I WAS ALRIGHT. THE PRINCIPAL SISTER UNA CALLED MY FATHER AND LET HIM KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND THAT I WAS GOING HOME. INSTEAD, I WENT TO MY GIRLFRIEND'S HOUSE WHERE HER MOTHER HELPED ME CLEAN MY CLOTHES BECAUSE THEY WERE COVERED WITH BLOOD. I CALLED MY FATHER AT HER HOUSE AND HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT ME AND TOLD ME TO COME RIGHT HOME IMMEDIATELY. WHEN MY MOTHER ARRIVED HOME FROM WORK SHE CALLED MY FRIEND'S MOTHER AND THANKED HER FOR HELPING ME.

MY PARENTS WERE QUITE STRICT WITH BRINGING ME UP AND I WAS TO ALWAYS CONDUCT MYSELF IN A PROPER WAY IN MY HOME.