• Dodge City
• The Well
• The Bees and the Rats
• The Drip
• Mr. Brady
• The Only Black Child

§Dodge City

From Port Chester to Goldens Bridge was to travel backwards in time. Ninety acres and four wells. Four shack houses — theirs was four rooms. Two bedrooms up and a living room that slanted when you walked across the floor.¹

The kitchen was the central gathering place and the entrance. Goldens Bridge was referred to as “Dodge City.” The Hill was called “Little Italy” because of the Italians who worked on building the railroad and then settled in the area.

§The Well

Getting water from a well every morning before school. Using an outhouse. In the winter, a bucket at the top of the stairs. The stove was oil-burning, the central source of heat. A potbelly stove in the living room.¹

Julian once almost set the house on fire trying to put newspaper into the stove.

§The Bees and the Rats

There was a beehive in the wall of the house. If a light was left on, the bees would be attracted to it. One night bees attacked Julian in his sleep, stinging his face and eyes.¹

One Easter weekend, rats ate his chocolate bunny and gnawed on his hand where he’d been holding it. His stepfather Pappy found him in the morning and took him to the emergency room in Mount Kisco at 5:00 AM.

§The Drip

There was plenty of room for kids to be kids — hunting, fishing, climbing trees, making forts. Eating wild strawberries, apples, grapes. Growing vegetables in a garden: corn, carrots, squash, tomatoes.¹

“The drip” was a pipe from the hillside that dripped water constantly. You’d place a bucket and let it fill. On any given day there’d be a line of buckets. The community was a group of refugees from Port Chester. Communal living before its time.

§Mr. Brady

The owner of the ninety acres was Mr. Brady, a big dairy farmer. He was generous — brought milk from his dairy, ice cream in summer, bushel baskets of food at Thanksgiving.¹

He stated that his foreman was to continue after he passed, and he did.

§The Only Black Child

Julian started kindergarten in 1955 and was the only Black child in his class. Every day was a struggle — going to school all day, fighting to get out and make it home.¹

“Still I can recall covering up while a pack of white boys would beat upon me until I could escape across the railroad tracks.”

His brothers and sisters shared similar experiences.