Friends from High School
All these people were and some still are good friends of mine from school. These are some of the earliest and only images I have of them (so I treasure them).
 Ralph '78 (more) |
 Dennis '78 (more) |
 Pete '78 (more) |
Tony (more) |
Donna 1975 (more) |
 |
 Ralph |
 |
 The Sisskins |
 Rick |
 Keith |
 Ron & Lori (more) |
 Howard (more) |
 Eddie (more) |
 Tom (more) |
 Ron & Pete (more) |
Roseanne, Pete & Tom |
 Eddy in front |
Donny & Lori |
Mike in back |
Mike (more) |
 Mugs'e |
 Kim (more) |
 Kim (married) |
Kim & Family |
Mandy |
 |
Ralph - I met Ralph in elementary school. He lived about a block away. He had two favorite pastimes, championship wrestling and fishing. Sometimes I would go over his house and watch TV then go fishing. His mother was the sweetest; she would not let me go without feeding me. Over the years I think she became almost my second mom. We were like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. We used to fight a lot. Once he shot me with a BB gun right in the ass. So I beat him senseless with a 2x4 from his backyard. One time some years later he got this car that needed painting, I'm like so we put it in the garage, get a paint sprayer and have at it. Well after it dried it was zebra striped. I mean really striped! In the sun it was the funniest car. I pissed my pants laughing. He was less than happy. I'm sure he sold it soon thereafter. We still talk and see each other. I could go on and on. Ralph and I have many memories. Ralph got married recently (11/24/02) here are some pics.
Dennis - I met Dennis in high school. He was one of the most charismatic people I have ever met. His sense of self worth and natural entrepreneurial skills were extraordinary. He was a handsome man both physically and mentally. He challenged me at every turn in many ways. We soon became friends. He lived in Island Heights on a hill overlooking the Toms River with his Dad and two brothers. I remember it as a very nice house. I spent a lot of time there just hanging out listening to music enjoying the summer days and dating girls. His favorite thing to do was to go to concerts. It was with him that I saw more concerts than anybody else, like Iron Butterfly, Stones, Pink Floyd, Who, Ted Nugent, Black Sabbath, Allman Bros., Doobie Bros., Yes, Kansas, et. al. Once during HS I was dating this girl Amy until I dropped in to see Dennis and caught them together in his room. It was surprising at the time but our friendship was too strong for a little thing like that come between us. Besides we weren't married or anything. After HS Dennis and I split an apartment and the fun really began. Toga parties, keg parties, and very late nights were the rule. We both partied till we dropped. It was during this time that I was dating Eileen. (I have no pics of her, I regret that) One day Eileen told me that she was pregnant. In an instant I felt my life change. No longer was I not sure of what I would be doing tomorrow, now I knew. I would be a dad. (I was very excited about this) Well she was about 19 and I was about 21. I guess Eileen had different plans and we were not on the same wavelength because she went and got an abortion. I was crushed. Didn't know what to do or where to go. I felt dead and empty inside. Everything that I thought would be changed. I was kind of depressed and wanted to go, Anywhere. Dennis was moving on too. He and Kim split up and he had dreams of California. So Dennis got in his Miata and went west. I got on a train and went to New York. I have not seen him in over 20 years.
Pete R. - I met Pete in HS. He had a ski boat and two brothers. He lived in Beachwood just in from the Toms River. He was quiet and sedentary but I enjoyed his company. He was rather funny in his own way. We would just hang in Beachwood along the shore, looking for a date or something to do. I haven't seen Pete in a long time.
Tony - I met Tony in middle school, we were on the same bus. I found out he lived right across the street from me. He had an older brother & sister and a great collection of records that I figured must have in part been hand-me-downs from his brother. He had some cool music. Probably the best in the neighborhood. This was the late 60's, Vietnam was a cloud over our heads and there was no such thing as FM stereo radio. The best you had was 45's, LP's and AM radio. Tony had great tunes. And fortunately for me I think his favorite pastime was sitting up in his room, spacing out, listening to records. Then we would go ride our bikes around. There were lilac bushes near his house and I can still smell them. He had a train set in his basement that we would sometimes play with but soon it was back upstairs to space out to tunes. His favorite was Zappa, I was crazy about Janis Joplin. It's funny how things don't change much. 30 years later we still do the same things. The bikes are bigger. The music is more modern. But the song has remained the same.
Donna - I don't have many pics of the girls I dated in HS but I do have one of Donna. I treasure it. Donna lived in Island Heights. We met in the 10th grade. We dated on and off right up until graduation. Donna was the best kisser. I can still feel the warm summer breeze and Donna sitting by my side in the bleachers watching a football game or something. One of the reasons Donna and I got along so well was because she was never jealous of other girls coming in and out of my life and I was never upset by her shifting interests. High School is not a place for serious relationships and she understood that. We could always count on each other being there without emotional baggage. I treasured her and still have the fondest memories. Graduation day was the last day I ever saw her. I wonder whet ever happened to her and where life has taken her. I hope she is well.
Ron - I met Ron in elementary school. He lived about one block away and had an older brother Donny. Ron was a rough and tumble kid. We always mixed it up. But he had a great sense of humor and laughed at everything. It was his laughter that I loved. His father had a welding torch that we used to make custom bikes (pedal bicycles) I made a low riding chopper and he made one that was so tall you had to climb on top of a cars roof to get on it. We loved those bikes and rode them with pride. His brother had a corvette convertible, old one 68,69 we used to steal it, push start it, and cruise. We were only about 14 but we still tried to pick-up chicks at the baseball field. Later on he got a drum kit and became part of the central avenue band.
Howard - I met Howard in middle school. He lived about 6 or 7 blocks away. He loved softball and had a field right near his house. (There was also a girl Tammy that I was sweet on nearby. But Tammy and I never worked out.) I used to go over to their lot to play. Then Howard got a motorcycle! I had one too! We used to get together and ride like crazed comanches. We had so much fun.
Eddie - I met Ed in elementary school. He was the younger brother of Patrick. ("happy Pat") Pat and I were pretty close friends. Ed was funny. He would always tag along. Then he grew up and became the clown of party. Everything he did was funny. I wonder what happened to him? He should go into comedy.
Tom - I met Tom in middle school. He had 2 other brothers and a sister. I think I met his sister Karen first. I went over her house and found out she had all these brothers. They were all about 1 year apart in age. Karen and I dated a wee bit. But her brother Tom played softball and generally was cool to hang with.
Pete L. - I met Pete in HS, he was a friend of Tony's, and he played guitar real good. Pete was a natural guitarist. It amazed me how he could just hear it then play it almost perfect. Although Pete and I never became fast friends he did become part of the Central Ave band. And for that period of time we were close.
Mike - Mike has a sister Marian and a brother John. In the 4th grade Marian and I were sweet on each other. One day I went to her house and met Mike. Marian and I continued to date on and off right through college but Mike became my friend. He liked fishing, he lived right next to a lake. He liked to BBQ, so did I. He was quiet, so was I. Mike and I were buds. He was my best man at my first wedding. Around 1988 he moved to Florida. We don't see each other much anymore. I miss him. Once when we were young (9 or 10) there was a house on the block with an alarm system. So about 4 in the morning we quietly gathered up the neighborhood trash cans and built a wall across the street near the curve in the road. Then walked over to the house with the alarm and through a rock through the window and waited. Sure enough the cops came screaming down the road and right into the wall of cans. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen BAM, CRASH, ROLL went the cans. Once when we were a little older we were having a keg party and a bunch of people we did not know or like showed up. Asking them to leave was not going to work. So we decided to jump up through the keg in the trunk tell everyone that the cops were coming and to follow us. We tore off and raced all over the neighborhood eventually losing each and every one of them. It was pretty funny trying to lose them.
Kim - I dated Kim a bit in HS she was very nice but I never felt that committed to the relationship. And there wouldn't be much of a story here but she went and dated my friend, got pregnant and named her daughter Mandy. Years later she told me that she really loved me and wanted to name her daughter after me. (my initials are MAN) in that note she also told me that I was her godfather. Unfortunately I have never met Mandy. I would have liked to meet her. I'm sure she's all grown up now she must be in her twenties.
It's amazing how time flies, people change and are swept away.