It has been years since I came back to Queens. Today, I took a drive out to Queens to visit where I used to live - Flushing. Changes have taken over this place. From the streets where I grew up to the shops that I used to buy my candies in, nothing seems to be the same.
I came to the door steps of my old apartment on Maple Ave, took in a deep breath and thought of the good times my sister and I had in front of the drive way. In NYC, space is very precious and we didn't have video games to occupy us like kids today, so we played outside where the cars were parked. Thinking back now, I am actually lucky that no cars hit my sister or I.
The apartment now seems old to me. Maybe because it has been 20+ years since I lived here? perhaps I am spoiled by the west coast? but thinking back, all we had were fun and games. Nothing seems to matter. It didn't matter that I was playing in a drive way, my sister and I had a ton of fun hanging out with our neighbor kid friends. This reminds me how simplicity can bring so much joy.
I invite you to walk down my memory lane with me...
Here is 134-23 Maple Ave, Flushing. This is where I used to live from 8-11. We stayed in the 3rd floor of this building. Besides things look older, the overall layout seems to be intact.
This is the laundromat that my mom took my sister and I to every week. Of course the owner is different now but the store front is about 80% the same. My sister and I hated coming here every week because it was hot, smelly and nothing for us to do. As we got older, we took our bikes with us so we could ride our bikes outside the store. That kept us busy for hours.
My grade school PS120. In NYC, schools are numbered, so my school is called Public School 120 (thus PS120). The city upgraded the inside 10 years ago based on a teacher I talked to today. It was so nice inside compared to when I was here. The outside seems to be cleaned up too!
Here is the back of the school. I witnessed numerous fights throughout my grade school years. I am actually shocked that I turned out OK!
They didn't have this play structure when I was here from 4th to 6th grade. I guess it was put in during the upgrade process. Lucky kids!!!
4 comments:
even though you're not sure about the iphone picture-quality, of all the NYC posts so far, this one is my fave.
i think the whole chinese laundromat history resonates with me. (what is it with chinese immigrants and landromats!?)
this kind of inspires me to go to visit my old grade school and checkout my old neighborhood as well.
Nice walk down the memory lane. Thanks for sharing your humble beginning with us. You turned out OK, at least all your pearly whites are still intact, way to stay out of school fights! We were in N.J. for a couple of years and the our school name was "School #4" in Fort Lee, N.J.
I had no idea you were from New York! I guess I never asked :)
Hey! post the NY E-pics!!!!
memories of me choking in the streets. memories of my thumb being crushed... lots of memories indeed.
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