The Bronx USA…and a Bit of Brooklyn Too
BY HOWARD ARKIN
On October 15th the North
Shore Towers Men’s Club
sponsored its second presentation
on Channel 995. Events
chairman Jerry Siegel hosted the
2019 HBO documentary, “The
Bronx USA,” which chronicles
the lives of “Bronxites” both past
and present. Some of these former
Bronx residents have become quite
successful, while a group of current
De Witt Clinton high school
students hope to write their own
success stories. The documentary
explores situations experienced
by some notable Bronx residents
such as Colin Powell, Alan Alda,
Robert Klein, Hal Linden, Melissa
Manchester, Chazz Palmenteri and
Carl and Rob Reiner. The parts of
“The Bronx USA” documentary that
resonate most with me are those of
George Shapiro and North Shore
Towers Residents Carl Golub and
Jay Schwartz visiting their old
neighborhood and reminiscing
about “the good old days.”
I found Carl Reiner advising
a group of Clinton seniors about
adversities that they will face in
their futures very compelling, as was
the advice Colin Powell received
years ago from the owner of the toy
store where he worked as a teenager.
Chazz Palmenteri’s return to
a bakery on Arthur Avenue had
me yearning for one of the cannolis
named in Chazz’s honor. Hal
Linden recalling the ritual of Sunday
night Chinese dinners also brought
back some happy memories. Alan
Alda tells a story about dating his
wife Arlene who lived in the Bronx,
heading back home to Manhattan,
falling asleep on the subway and
ending up in of all places, Brooklyn!
Another interesting segment has
Carl, George and Jay returning to
Clinton High and introducing some
of the senior students to the long
forgotten Bronx game of stickball.
In a few segments of the documentary,
George Shapiro is shown
wearing a Brooklyn Dodgers cap.
He is asked about it by Carl, and as
I suspected, he is told that George
was an anomaly being a Dodgers fan
from the Bronx. Hooray for George!
Being from Brooklyn myself, I
think I’ve always had some hidden
animosity towards the Bronx. I
assume that must have come from
the annual fall beatings inflicted
by the Yankees on the Dodgers. Of
course as the years went by, maturity
took hold of me and I forgave the
Bronx. I even married a girl from
Washington Heights. I know, I
know, but it’s close enough!
Today I’ll even concede that a
lobster dinner on City Island is as
good as any in Sheepshead Bay.
The veal parmigiana at Mario’s
rivals that served at Bamontes
in Williamsburg. And who can
really tell the difference between a
corned beef on club at Schweller’s
delicatessen or one from Junior’s?
But one thing that Brooklyn had
and still does have is Coney
Island. Attractions included the
Wonder Wheel, Cyclone and
Parachute Jump and most of all,
the boardwalk, under which one
could spend many happy summer
hours. But that’s another story for
another day.
MEN’S CLUB UPDATE
Bronx
Wonder Wheel
One of the greatest gifts you can give to those you love is a sense of
security — the knowledge that you have taken care of everything.
St. Michael’s is a religious Cemetery open to people of all faiths,
For more information including a free Resource Guide
call (718) 278 3240 or visit us at www.stmichaelscemetery.com.
St. Mary’s Community Mausoleum
St. Mary’s
Community
Mausoleum Best
Cemetery
Errol A. Brett
Attorney At LAw
26910 grand central parkway
suite a6
floral park, ny 11005
Tel: 718-631-7733
Fax: 718-631-7765
December 2020 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 29
/www.stmichaelscemetery.com
/www.stmichaelscemetery.com
