Move-In Day

Move-in day for Cameron.  A two bedroom apartment for him and one of his buddies.

His apartment is just like the Bronx apartment I grew-up in...but there are a few minor differences:  

1.  He has a balcony - I had a fire escape.

2.  He has a pool - I had a fire hydrant.

3.  His apartment building is in a gated community - my apartment had gates on the windows.

4.  He has 2 people living in a 2 bedroom apartment - I had 8 people, a dog, and 2 gerbils living my 2 bedroom apartment.

5.  His apartment has 24/7 surveillance - my apartment had Mrs. Passamonte looking out her window 24/7 keeping an eye on all the people walking by.

6.  His apartment has an exterminator to keep pests away - my apartment had the nearest shoe and strategically place mouse traps.

7.  His apartment has regularly scheduled pool parties with games, music, and BBQ - my apartment had adults outside on their folding chairs drinking beer, smoking, listening to Yankee games, while the kids played box-ball, curb-ball, and roundup until 12:00am.

8.  His apartment is cool in the summer and hot in the winter - my apartment was an oven in the summer and freezing in the winter.

9.  His apartment has the sounds of birds chirping in the distant background - my apartment had the sounds of police and fire engine sirens and the rumble of the El train in the background.

10.  His apartment has a built-in washer and dryer - my apartment building had a cold, dark, damp basement with 2 washers and 2 driers for the 100 families that lived there.  They were first-come, first serve, and if you didn’t take your clothes out when they were done - the next person in line did (and they didn’t fold them for you).

11.  His apartment is sound proof and so nobody will know anyone else’s business - my apartment had the echoing alleyway windows which forced you to know everyone’s business. (“Mrs. O’Sullivan is screaming at her husband.  He came home drunk and he gambled his pay check away.”  “Okay, shut the window, I can’t hear the Yankee game.”)

12.  He has a bank down the street - we had a loanshark down the street.

13.  He has 5 Starbucks within walking distance - we had 25 bars within walking distance.

14.  His apartment is near a CVS where he can purchase pharmaceuticals at the counter - my apartment was near a building where you could purchase “pharmaceuticals” by knocking on the door 3 times, then 2 times, then 1 time until the peephole opened up so you could slip a $5 or $10 bill through the opening.

15.  His apartment is very nice - BUT - I would never trade his apartment for mine.  222 West 233rd Street, apartment 1D was the most amazing place to grow-up and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Sheri Hand Kelsie Lyn Cameron Hand