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Second Thief, Best Thief – An Old Jersey City Saying
The Jersey City Waterfront once was covered with warehouses and piers. Adjacent to these were miles of railroad yards dotted with innumerable sheds and small buildings for use as storage and as workshops for mechanics, machinists, and welders.
During the depression, children from impoverished families would climb onto the roofs of the outlying structures, both to hide and to gain a view of the surrounding area. From up there, they'd watch for workers stealing from the docks, the trains, or the warehouses. The initial crooks would sneak off into the weeds to hide the swag with the idea of retrieving it at the end of the shift. Seeing opportunity made available, the kids would wait a bit for the situation to cool. Then, they'd climb down, grab the goods, and make a getaway through the vacant lots.
Practitioners coined the saying "second thief, best thief" to describe this method of survival.
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Bookmaking was considered a profession in Jersey City PG (Pre-Gentrification).
After the publication of an unauthorized biography of Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop appeared on a television talk show as an apologist. He explained that even though what was printed might be “facts,” the truth was so stretched that it was … Continue reading
The Jersey City PG (Pre-Gentrification) plan – Buy now, pay never
Once someone makes the existential choice of substance abuse, next is the practical matter of financing this new lifestyle. Since in Jersey City PG (Pre-Gentrification) rock stars and heiresses were few and far between, adventurous locals had to rely on … Continue reading
Roger Rajesh Chugh has found himself back in cyberspace, and he’s not happy about it.
An embarrassment returns to the Web Republican ‘remakes’ state official’s ex-site Thursday, December 12, 2002 BY JOSH MARGOLIN AND JEFF WHELAN Star-Ledger Staff Roger Rajesh Chugh has found himself back in cyberspace, and he’s not happy about it. Chugh, the … Continue reading
City Web site under police investigation
City Web site under police investigation Originally appeared in The Jersey Journal By Daniel Schiff Journal staff writer 07/23/01 Jersey City’s official Web site is now the focus of a police investigation. The Jersey Journal reported in Saturday’s editions that … Continue reading
Seventh Grade Art Class
One afternoon during seventh grade, I was in the art room with a few of my classmates (all guys). We were talking with the instructor and somehow the subject turned to photography. He said that what he found particularly interesting … Continue reading
The Irish Sweepstakes
When I was a kid, now and again there was talk of distant relatives winning the Irish Sweepstakes. Nobody ever actually knew one of the lucky; it always was a cousin of an aunt’s in-laws who’d emigrated to Australia. I … Continue reading
Karmic Spark
Thirty-five years ago or so, Tommy — a local dealer in antiques and other things of value — held a soiree at his North Bergen cliffside retreat. Something struck me that night concerning Tommy’s partner, the nephew of a Hudson … Continue reading
The Friendly Stranger and the Electric Coffee
The Friendly Stranger – former bodybuilder, former mental patient and Tae Kwon Do black belt – spent summer Sundays in Central Park. Wandering off the path a bit, he stretched out on the grass. Using his back pack for a … Continue reading
A few steps too far, even by Hudson County standards
When I was a kid, our family doctor from Union City got locked up for selling machine guns. After the good healer was sentenced to many decades, one wag had him exclaiming to the judge, “How’m I supposed to do … Continue reading
It’s hard to put a finger on it.
Did you ever see one of those cartoons where a tiny devil is talking in one ear and an angel in the other? That actually happened to me — when I was interviewed by Gay City News. Back when James … Continue reading
Nietzsche as a boy – The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe at the 2012 Austin Psych Fest
The Brian Jonestown Massacre at Emo’s East, 2012 Austin PsychfestDownload 10 minute MP3 Audio. Anthony Olszewski http://UrbanTimes.com Walking through the courtyard at the 2012 Austin Psych Fest early Sunday afternoon, I noticed Anton Newcombe standing off to the right, near … Continue reading
The Baptism of the Walrus
The Traveler fell through the swirling void. Suddenly, his heels hit something solid. Reality then took shape around him. It was dark and cold. People were there. Some sat curled up on the floor, heads between their knees and arms … Continue reading
