Happy Birthday Tommy O'Brien

Tommy O'Brien was one of my earliest childhood friends. He lived around the corner, on Regent Lane, and I think we met at school, in first grade.

He was a small kid, with curly black hair, and freckles. He had a scar under his eye from a fall when he was a baby. He wasn't a NY Mets fan, which was VERY unusual for a Long Island boy in the late 60s --he loved the Cincinnatti Reds. He also loved the Green Bay Packers and not the Jets --also strange in th era of Broadway Joe Namath.

I always remember that Tommy's birthday was July 19 --one day after mine. That fascinated the two of us when we were 7 or 8. I'm still not sure why.

Anyway, I think in 4th grade, Tommy's parents pulled him and his brother Billy out of public school and put them into St. James, our local Catholic school. I remember appealing to Mr. O'Brien to leave Tommy with all of his friends at East Broadway, and his father nicely and patiently explaining to me that he and Tommy's mother thought the Jesuits would give a better education. I have ZERO recollection what Mr. O'Brien did for a living, but clearly remember he was a very bright and mannered man. There were precious few professional types n North Wantagh and Levittown in those years --maybe he was a teacher himself.

Anyway, I think I saw Tommy two or three times after that. I don't know if he's even alive. If he is, I have no idea what effect the Jesuit education had on him, or whether the church quelled his rebeliousness (maybe they turned him into a Mets and Jets fan after all). I DO know that if he IS alive, he's 48 years old today.

As for MY birthday, yesterday, it was wonderful. The girls, Wifey and I all had breakfast, and then the Ds and I headed up to Aventura to meet Dr. Barry and his boys. We went to Mo's Bagels (the co owner is Mohammed --who wisely realized that Mohammed's Bagels, in overwhelmingly Jewish Aventura, wasn't a recipe for success) and had a great lunch. The other owner is Paul, a Venezuelan Jew, who brought us a platter of cookies and rugelah.

My partner Paul learned we were in HIS hood, and came over to join us. We had a grand meal, and Paul had them bring me MORE cookies with a birthday candle, which lead to a deafening birthday song.

Barry and the boys left, and Ds went with Paul to a boutique. Paul knows me. He knows I'm happiest when my girls are, and they tried on an array of gorgeous clothes, while we drank Diet Cokes and applauded. I bought them most of the outfits, prompting D1 to state it was one of "her best days, ever!"

We went home, and Wifey's leg was feeling better, so SHE got to watch the fashion show all over again. Wifey and I then went to see the new Johnny Depp movie, which was pretty good.

So, to my childhood friend Tommy O'Brien, of Regent Lane in Wantagh, Long Island --I hope you are as blessed with a 48th birthday as I was yesterday. Although, the Mets are having a disappointing season...