Chuck’s Old Neighborhood

There is a wonderful story today in the Buffalo News about five  depression era kids who grew up together on Myrtle avenue  on the  east side of Buffalo . Now all in their 80’s, they still remain friends today and get together several times a year.

It got me thinking how extraordinary that is in this day and age. We have such a transitory society. Technology allows us to live and work anywhere. The average person moves sixteen times in their lifetime. About once every five years! So it’s tough to maintain long term neighborhood friendships.

It got me thinking about my old neighborhood. I grew up in Irondequoit, NY. An “older ring” suburb of Rochester. We had a tight knit neighborhood and everybody new everybody else. The kids on my street, Tim, Pete, Norm, Gary, Jimmy, Greg, and Dave I have not seen since I moved away. My path took me to Buffalo, Youngstown, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pa, and back to Buffalo. I lost track of the gang on Pontiac drivein Irondequoit.

I’m just a little bit jealous of the boys from Myrtle Avenue. Being able to maintain their friendships from the old neighborhood over a lifetime is a real treasure. How about you? Are you still friends with the old gang from your neighborhood?