Then were was Anthony Nicocia - the Tropicana guy. I was a newcomer at this house in Sarasota. SWEEEEETTTTT. Of course his 60's Corvette or something was hidden away in the garage- but you could just get a peek of it as we drove by sometimes. Fortunately I moved to another house in St Pete, days before the Skyway fell down.
Anthony was my newcomer for the first several weeks of his tenure of incarceration at Straight Inc. What a culture shock it was for him. My family lived well, we had a small lil place on St. Pete Beach…nice, but certainly not what he was accustomed to. (you remember Seamus, 85DJ…don’t ya?) We teased the hell out of him simply because of his wealth.
The car, (to the best of my memory,) was a 1963 Mercedes Coupe (2 Door, Powder Blue…convertible) 1963 was significant, because that was the year he was born…and Powder Blue…. because he was born a boy.
His wealth aside, he was good people. Yeah, he was a brat, a rich spoiled brat… but still at the end of the day he was good person. Who I believe/think, like myself and many many others….didn’t belong there. (I feel as if I am treading thin ice here) Absolutely, NO ONE deserved to be there…No One deserved to be “warehoused” there. Anthony like myself simply had no street smarts. I think Anthony more than myself was singled out because of his families $$$. And he might have been a bit quirky…but damn, well all were just teenagers…. kids.
But good did come from Anthony’s family’s involvement. Tropicana dumped 1000’s of gallons of Orange Juice on Straight Inc. There was one requirement or catch, refrigeration and freezers. The only freezers we had at the time held the frozen Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches, which we called “swimmers”. I think the only other source of protein we received from Straight, or closer to the truth Parents donated to Straight. I don’t remember her name, but her father owned a meat packing plant. We had “donated” bologna…
Not just any ordinary bologna, but scraps. If it fell of the conveyer belt, we ate it. The slicer sometimes cut the meat into chunks and the wedged bologna was prized. And then the 2-3 cubes of ice in the milk to cap it off, and of course it was expected that we be grateful for anything we got. In fact I remember my own mom going to get the buns, rejected by Burger King and back to the baker… and she took them to the building.
So on buns, without sesame seeds and chunks wedged between them, they were passed down the rows. Condiments? Like ketchup, mustard or mayo? Nah…didn’t happen…wasn’t an option. During this assault on the senses “RULES” were being shouted…..
Yeah Anthony had a “Culture Shock”…We all had that “Culture Shock” ( I know I damn sure did) and that more than likely…in most possibility, no…..probability Anthony has been profoundly affected…or is it effected…
Either way…
It’s fascinating to see names. Of course, there is an immediate duplicity of “shouldn’t do that”….but damn, it’s part of human nature to wanna know “what became of_______?” or “Wonder what ever happened to____?”
Sometimes, I can recall the name, but not the information I read. Not that it’s false….I simply don’t recall, that kinda bums me out at times. It’s as if “I should know” but fact is, I simply don’t. There is however an opposite to that coin. I recall information and not the name…seems I shouldn’t know… but I do. That is probably most alarming and distressing to me.
I recall a guy mysteriously vanished…nothing was said….but rumor mill was that he had molested a child. Did it actually happen? I dunno… I heard that a guy made a dildo in wood shop at Dixie-Hollins. Nothing was said. Did it happen? I dunno. There was a guy we called the open meeting whacker, real name was Bill P*alimino…he also was my new comer…that incident actually happened, he wrote about it in his ”MI”.
A female name that comes to mind now and again is Debby or Deborah (last name escapes me at the moment) She was first girl I ever actually kissed or “made out” with. I had graduated at the time, so had she. We sat in front of her house getting busy…..it was 5:30am when I got home. My mom had read most of my MI’s and my journals…..She wigged the fuck out, contacted every law enforcement agency in tri county area, including FHP….She thought I Was gonna commit suicide…. The happiest night….the best night I had ever had was now reduced to shit. I was never allowed back to see Debby.
My “first” girlfriend (the kind ya never forget) was a Straightling. She actually wanted me to marry her….so I freaked out. I saw an advertisement for the submarine corp and figured, Straight, my parents or Mar*cine would never find me. I still speak with her mother from time to time. We don’t see eye to eye on many things, but she is still good to me and I do for her what I can.
Whoa, this response has gotten long, even for my standards…..Nuff said for now!
In Peace
Woof
OBTW...the Skyway fell after I graduated