I was born, my Father's Son, in December 1949. When my eyes could finally focus, I'm sure I could see my brother Johnny looking at me...he being 19 months already. As the early years passed, Johnny and I were inseparable...me, because I wanted it... he, because he had no choice. We lived in the Bronx in the 50's..before the White Flight to the suburbs. We shared a bedroom with my older sister in a small apartment on the second floor at 1468 Bryant Avenue...not far from the Bronx Zoo. There was a grocery store across the street which was owned by a Cuban gentleman. My Dad took me there once to buy himself cigarettes. I stood by his side, staring at a strange, stick-like plant just outside the store entrance. "Sugar Cane," the man said. It was the greenest thing I ever saw. "How much?" Dad asked
"5 Cents"
My Dad took a nickel from his trouser pocket and pushed it across to the grocer.
The old Cuban took what I guess was a small Machete and lopped off about a foot of the cane and handed it to me. I took it home in a death grip to show my brother.
"Look what Daddy bought for me!"
"What is it?
"Sugar!" I said.
"Looks stupid"
"You're Stupid"
Dad looked over and said: "Stop it, the both of you.. Johnny, when we go to the movies tomorrow, You can have the big popcorn".
"We're going to the movies?"
"Yep, the Lone Ranger and Tonto on the BIG screen
THE LONE RANGER AND TONTO!
AT THE MOVIES!
Television westerns were my life at 6 years old. Johnny and I would sit with Dad and watch every possible episode of The Lone Ranger or Hopalong Cassidy . My Brother and I had no idea that the plots were so thin and predictable. The entire story had to start, develop the crisis, and resolve all in 21 minutes with a break for Wonder Bread and Skippy Peanut Butter. But just before the Big
ending, Dad would say:
"Watch this...the sheriff will see the smoke signal Tonto sends and show up with a posse to save them"
"How do you know?" I asked.
Dad just smiled and said.."I wrote this one."
Sure enough, it happened..just as Dad said. I thought he was a genius.
The next day finally DID come and me and Johnny and my Dad went off to the movies, which was under the elevated subway on Southern Boulevard. In those days, they showed 2 movies, 4 or 5 cartoons AND a newsreel. You never checked the movie times..you just went. If you came in after the feature was started, you just stayed to that point when they showed it again, up to that point. That is where the expression, "This is where I came in" comes from.
So, moving ahead, we are watching The Lone Ranger and Tonto in some exciting adventure IN COLOR...and of course, Tonto, MY HERO, has to go into town to spy for the Lone Ranger. As luck would have it, the town bullies spotted him and yelled:
"Look! a dirty thievin' Redskin!"
Whoa. Wait a minute, I thought..that's Tonto,...he's GOOD.
"Let's string him up! " "Get a rope!"
I started to cry...
Tonto...MY HERO..!
I looked up at my Daddy. But he was watching the screen .
I started to sob.
My Dad looked down at me and saw the tears streaming down my enormous beaver cheeks. He put his arm around me and leaned over and said:
"Don't worry...The Lone Ranger will come into town and save Tonto"
I couldn't catch my breath..."Are you sure?":
My Dad smiled and said: "I'm sure. I wrote this one:"
Sure enough...The Lone Ranger rode in on Silver...Six Guns a'blazin.. and shot the rope that was starting to hang his friend...Tonto jumped on the back of Silver, and off they rode.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"I'm glad you wrote that one"
After his 80th Birthday, my Dad was in the habit of saying "All I want to do is live to 90. That is older than anyone in my family ever lived ".
On his 85th Birthday he said:" I just want to make 90...after that, I don't care"
My Dad, John Henry McRedmond Jr., passed away in December 2012.
He was 90.
Turns out....He wrote this one, too.
Happy Father's Day, Dad.
