I grew up fairly sheltered, but as an adult looking back, I realize that I likely encountered this on the perifery.
There were almost certainly exploited children in my circles at school, and in our suburban neighbourhoods, and I could probably name names...now.
I remember having a chat with a couple of girlfriends in grade 7. I don't recall the entire substance, but I mentioned prostitutes. A very puzzled look crossed my friend's face as she said "A WHAT??". Then I had to explain. I was embarassed. She burst out laughing and said "Oh! A HOOKER!".
She lived in the trailer park. That was as rough as anyone got back then
Thank you, Jaye. From what you've shared over the years here, I can see you've grown into the kind of person who seeks and strives to protect the innocent. Bless you, my friend...
Thanks Mickey. I thought I was pretty savvy, but the depths to which people can stoop to hurt each other has, to me, become much more apparent over the past few years. I am not naive enough to think this is a new thing.
It just isn't hiding anymore.
As you pointed out, the internet has changed the game
FWIW, Long Island City is a neighborhood in Queens - one of NYC's five boroughs. Queens is technically part of Long Island but in local vernacular, the term "Long Island" is reserved for parts further east (a.k.a. Nassau and Suffolk counties).
Plus, the stories I reference are far from recent, and Long Island City (usually known now as L.I.C.) has become quite gentrified.
All that confusion stated, what was your original perception of Long Island prior to reading this post?
My mental image was of an island with a series of beach sand covered two lane roads leading the Hamptons that were all experiencing traffic jams going both ways; a cul-de-sac where the Amityville house is the last one on the left; legally enforced mandatory attendance to all Islanders’ home games; and a giant Paul Bunyan sized statue of Wayne Chrebet standing in front of the first of many Chrebet-owned Wa-Wa’s on Long Island, and featuring the Jets receiver’s never uttered yet still immortal quote: “YO, WE ON LONG IDLAND,YO! RIGHT?” engraved upon its massive skrimshaw base. (Note: this is exactly as written and spelled because, as the Long Island mayor pro tem and TWA Flight 800 enthusiast said at that one PTA meeting, “Yo that wale blubber art is expensive as f*ck and I sure as hell ain’t paying no f*ckin revenue or whatever to fix what sure as hell ain’t the first ‘D’ I seen in my f*ckin’ life!)
Oh, and everyone is content at the least and happy most days and families still eat dinner together
When I first got to NFL Films, my soon to be best friend said he was from Long Island and I thought Long Island and Manhattan were the exact same thing. 😂😳
I thought Manhattan was basically a peninsula and “Long Island was the whole thing that technically started right around where the Polo Grounds once stood. My knowledge of NY terrain was… not great
What a terrific story of your childhood! I’ve watched too many movies in and about NYC and the boroughs so I have a particular view. Your description is exactly how I have imagined and have seen on the big screen. Although, I have been in the Bronx, Queens, and of course, NYC proper, but that was only in the last 25 years and well after Giuliani cleaned up Times Square into a mini-Disney.
Thank you, EK! NYC is made up of so many distinct neighborhoods that it's difficult to get a sense of what it is but I'm glad my stories resonate with you.
So much wisdom in here.
I grew up fairly sheltered, but as an adult looking back, I realize that I likely encountered this on the perifery.
There were almost certainly exploited children in my circles at school, and in our suburban neighbourhoods, and I could probably name names...now.
I remember having a chat with a couple of girlfriends in grade 7. I don't recall the entire substance, but I mentioned prostitutes. A very puzzled look crossed my friend's face as she said "A WHAT??". Then I had to explain. I was embarassed. She burst out laughing and said "Oh! A HOOKER!".
She lived in the trailer park. That was as rough as anyone got back then
Thank you, Jaye. From what you've shared over the years here, I can see you've grown into the kind of person who seeks and strives to protect the innocent. Bless you, my friend...
Thanks Mickey. I thought I was pretty savvy, but the depths to which people can stoop to hurt each other has, to me, become much more apparent over the past few years. I am not naive enough to think this is a new thing.
It just isn't hiding anymore.
As you pointed out, the internet has changed the game
Indeed, we wrestle not against flesh and blood. I'm glad you and I are on the same side in this spiritual war.
As a side note: I’ve never been there, but my entire mental image of Long Island just got curb-stomped. 🍑🔫😵
FWIW, Long Island City is a neighborhood in Queens - one of NYC's five boroughs. Queens is technically part of Long Island but in local vernacular, the term "Long Island" is reserved for parts further east (a.k.a. Nassau and Suffolk counties).
Plus, the stories I reference are far from recent, and Long Island City (usually known now as L.I.C.) has become quite gentrified.
All that confusion stated, what was your original perception of Long Island prior to reading this post?
My mental image was of an island with a series of beach sand covered two lane roads leading the Hamptons that were all experiencing traffic jams going both ways; a cul-de-sac where the Amityville house is the last one on the left; legally enforced mandatory attendance to all Islanders’ home games; and a giant Paul Bunyan sized statue of Wayne Chrebet standing in front of the first of many Chrebet-owned Wa-Wa’s on Long Island, and featuring the Jets receiver’s never uttered yet still immortal quote: “YO, WE ON LONG IDLAND,YO! RIGHT?” engraved upon its massive skrimshaw base. (Note: this is exactly as written and spelled because, as the Long Island mayor pro tem and TWA Flight 800 enthusiast said at that one PTA meeting, “Yo that wale blubber art is expensive as f*ck and I sure as hell ain’t paying no f*ckin revenue or whatever to fix what sure as hell ain’t the first ‘D’ I seen in my f*ckin’ life!)
Oh, and everyone is content at the least and happy most days and families still eat dinner together
…or something like that.
This ^ is far more and far better than I could've ever asked for! 😭
When I first got to NFL Films, my soon to be best friend said he was from Long Island and I thought Long Island and Manhattan were the exact same thing. 😂😳
I thought Manhattan was basically a peninsula and “Long Island was the whole thing that technically started right around where the Polo Grounds once stood. My knowledge of NY terrain was… not great
As a lifetime New Yorker (who technically has always lived on the Island of Long), your replies are appreciated!
What a terrific story of your childhood! I’ve watched too many movies in and about NYC and the boroughs so I have a particular view. Your description is exactly how I have imagined and have seen on the big screen. Although, I have been in the Bronx, Queens, and of course, NYC proper, but that was only in the last 25 years and well after Giuliani cleaned up Times Square into a mini-Disney.
Thank you, EK! NYC is made up of so many distinct neighborhoods that it's difficult to get a sense of what it is but I'm glad my stories resonate with you.
I understand it to be like a tapestry of neighborhoods painted from one generation to the next ♥️
Beautifully and accurately stated! ♥️