This Is Not A Hang Out

Fresh off today's Internets, via the miracle of e-mail, comes these three blasts from the past... two from down Astoria Park way, with Gatt & Mike & Patty & ... but who is the dude in the red plaid shirt & shades in the bottom photo? It's probably obvious but I'm drawing a blank. Is it Paul Scheraldi? The one here with Jim Kelly & Gatt is extremely noteworthy because here in all its glory is the famous interior of Pop's Candy Store! It was a store on the corner of Steinway Street & 21st Avenue, owned first by Dirty Irv, followed by Joe Lupo before Pop and Frankie D. became partners. Remember the sign that said "This Is Not A Hang Out"? But how many hours did we spend on these stools, playing pinball and video games -- Asteroid, Four Aces, Meteor, Pacman -- drinking egg creams, smoking butts, playing the jukebox -- Crystal Blue Persuasion (played regularly by Tennessee Tuxedo), Hocus Pocus by Focus, Love Her Madly (played incessantly by Jeff Keuman), My Wife, Don't Do Me Like That ... It was like a combination of Happy Days and Goodfellas ... hey I just made that up right here in the Internet Cafe. I don't fuck around...Anyway, Gatt, thanks for these great photos. I bet you were looking around for some more old ones when you got back to Florida from New York. Am I right? Thought so... And too bad about the Pack, brother, tough loss. I think Brett has to go off into the sunset and develop the QB position with the rest of the young team and new coaching staff. You can't live in the past forever. Although I wouldn't mind going back in time to Pop's for just one more afternoon of fun and zooing...