Rick Ferran Hendra's Comments

Hi Rick....
I have very fond memories of your Mom and Dad- Ken and Lois- my Dad was very friendly with them- do you remember me?

re: class 6-2: Larry Fox lived across the street from me on 137th and had red hair. His sister with Joanne (my grade/class of '65). Remember Mrs. Bromberg as shrill and prone to yelling at assemblies. Now, in my old(er) age she looks attractive and even-tempered. I think as a kid you judge adults more harshly; partly because they are in charge.

I haven't put any pictures on as of yet. I'm so busy that would really be a chore. I have seen various classmates over the years. Gabriel Tausig (just remembered is left of Sandy Davis.) He lives in my neighborhood ,Hollis Hills Queens and I run into him or his wife at various events. A few years ago I had some contact with Sandy Weinberg and could probably find her email address. Many years ago I ran into Barbara Tsao who still lives in the Kew Garden Hills area with her family. Peter Salgo was a medical commentator on the local CBS news and I ran into him once. Not very friendly!. This summer in Italy I met 2 alums who were about 7 years older. I am going to try to contact them to tell them about this website. How about you??? Heard from anyone???
Hope all is well with you. Dale

Rick,

I catch a plane to Boston tomorrow morning but wanted to get back to you before leaving. I will put Howie on to this site when he gets back home sometime next week. You asked about Lanny - he lives in the Bronx, never married, but close with a woman with a young daughter. He has multiple degrees in psychology, but after several jobs in related fields ended up working with some independent contractors in the heating and plumbing industry. We talk frequently, visit at least once a year, and he is about the best uncle any young kids could have. All three of my kids adore him. He is close to Howie as well, and sees him a bit more often. I just saw Lanny in NYC last week. Howie, by the way, got married in the early 1980s and has two sons, about 21 and 19. His older boy is a glass blower and pretty talented, the younger lives out in San Francisco. I hope to see Howie and his wife (she's a nurse) this June, and likely again in the fall as I have some future trips in the Boston/Rhode Island area.

You asked about Mitch Schorr. As you implied, he's had a tough run of it. He lives in a small apartment in Queens near Jamaica HS, barely getting by. He seemed in good spirits when I saw him last week (he joined several of us who got together in the Village -- see Don Reichman's post for a picture), and Mitch can provide a truely remarkable oral history of the neighborhood. Sad that such a talented guy has struggled so much.

As close as you were to us years ago, I never really knew your family at all - it was always a mystery to me. Of course, you lived all the way on the other side of the court! I'm really glad to hear you are doing well and living in such a picturesque part of the country. I used to hear what the Goldfines were up to, but that stopped once my mom died -- she was only 54, a loss that came way too soon. You talked about her in your comments, I just always tried to rationalize her dying so young by thinking how lucky I was to have such a fine mother like her for my first twenty-eight years -- that is about as spiritual as I get!

Do stay in touch - Hillary Clinton has her good and bad points, but our little neighborhood really was her concept of a village writ small.

Rick

Rick,

How nice to hear from you. I have nothing but fond memories of you and a hole in the middle of my forehead to boot!! Actually, I have no memory of you hitting me with a rock. But you were part of the family for a lot of years and we all had positive feelings about you...so put your guilt away.

I've got to run (it is famuily picture night at my youngest's school, but I will write later tonight or soon. It is great to be in touch. Howie has been away from home but I'll call him and get him on to the site as well. You know, our court may have had the highest concentration of academics of any in all of Queens -- we were the Chapel Hill of NYC!!

More later.

Little Rick

Hey Big Rick!!

Only those of us from the "court" would remember that you were "Big Rick," and I was "Little Rick." I had heard years ago that you were studying philosophy (wasn't it at Buffalo??), but nothing about you since then. Howie did go to Cornell and is a pretty prominent entomologist working at the University of Rhode Island - done a lot of work studying lyme ticks. We talk frequently and I'll put him on to this page. He is married with two sons. I recall he once told me that he had heard that Dougie Robinson lived somewhere in NJ, but I don't recall the details. I'm currently a professor and Dean at the University of Kansas. I studied public policy at the University of Chicago, but always studied schools and worked in Colleges of Education. Over the years I've moved around a bit like a lot of academics - been at a joint program at Tulane/University of New Orleans, University of South Carolina, Colorado State University, and now for nearly three years in Lawrence at Kansas (by the way, the real home of college basketball!!). I'm married and have three kids - a 22 year old son from a prior marriage who graduated college and lives in Denver (he moved out near us to go to college at CU-Boulder), and a seven year old son and ten year old daughter. I have a number of colleagues at U. Mass - perhaps we'll have the chance to cross paths someday.

Little Rick!!

Dear Rick
Well it seems that I am not that old yet, since my memories have been seconded by you.
I left NY in June 1963 and back to Tokyo. I had to do 2 more yeras of junior high in order to get into high school due to my poor Japanes. I was fortunate to pass the exames for Keio University Affiated high school because as long as you don't drop out you can get in to Keio Universty. I starde to work from 1973 with Export- Import Bank of Japan, now called Japan Bank for International Corporation. I am Seniro Executive Director and board Member since 2004.
I travel a lot mainly to Asia, Middle East and to Europe but not often to US. My sister have been living in LA for nearly 20 years now I guess since she got married.
I love to retire like you Japanese socila security system is terrible and most us will noy be able to live with just pensions any more. We were supposed to get pensions from 60 but now depending on when you were born you can receive your pensions from 61 to 65.
My mandate is quite interesting tarvelling around the world and meeting many people., Head of states, ministers, famous economist, top management of giant corprations. One of my good fiends is Fred Bergsten, famous economist who heads IIE and was under Secretary of Treasurey During Carter Administration.
I only visit NY and washingto DC these days and unfortunately I do not have a chance visit Main. I was in Main for few days during summer vacation in 1960. Nice place during summer but very cold during winter I guess.
I have spent 3 nad a half years in London, 3 years and 2 years each in Hong Kong after I joined my bank. I attend many conferences as a speake or pannelist these days. Main theme these days is some thing related to warming of Earth. I will try to find some photos in NY.
I rememeber that since you mentioned it you had a big mouth and I think that started that incident. But after that we did not have any prblems at all. You also used to ride a big bycycle.
Memories stars to come back as you are writing these days.
Lets keep in touc through this network, we may find few others of our age.
Best Regards
Fumio

Dear Rick
I remember you well. You used have a red curly hair did'nt you. I also remember why I chased you up to your house. We had an argument on some thing and them you spitted on my face. But I did'nt beat you up or rough you up. i also remeber you been beaten up by Tommy davis who graduated in 59. He was banging your head against conrete ground, i.e. PS 164 play ground. I was the one who stopped Tommy. Do you remember this.
After my sister mentioned your name to me I was thinking who is Rick today and around noon time old memories came back to me. Vleigh Place was where we used to hang around, candy store Dotties. Those were good old days. I still keep in touch with few of my class mates. Do you remeber documents class? We had memorize famous old speaches, Patrick Henry, Abe Lincoln, etc..
Yumiko you do not need to be embarrased of your elder brother.

Apologies for my poor English.

Rick,

How embarassing!
I apologize for my brother....(older brothers are always embarassing, right?)
Anyway,he just joined this site, so I guess we can find out what happened...if he remembers at all.

Actually, I am surprised that he could run that far!

We weren't in the same class (I graduated in '61), and I didn't know Fumio well. I figured he was older because he was at least my size and stronger. We'd cross paths up at Vleigh Place Park sometimes.

He wouldn't remember me, but he might remember this: I've no recollection what started it - whether I made some wise-ass comment or did something else that ticked him off - but Fumio came after me. And I ran. I ran and he chased me all the way back to my block (the corner of Vleigh Place and 141 St.), up the stairs to my apartment, through the door, and right into my living room, where my father was sitting with a couple of his friends. My father started yelling at both of us while Fumio quickly beat it back down the stairs. I stayed in my own backyard the next couple of days, hoping he'd cool down. He probably forgot about it that same afternoon, and has no recollection of this at all. But it sure made an impression on me, as I guess you can tell.

Whatever set it off, I'm sure I was at fault - so on the odd chance Fumio does recall this, please tell him I apologize. What's he doing these days?

Hi Rick!
Fumio is my older brother.
Were you in the same class?
Don't tell me you used to hang out with him, Marty and Freddy.

HiRick. Haven't heard from, or thought about Howie in a long time. I recall he did attend Cornell, but don't know what he did after that. Sorry.

My brother Mitch is your age and was friends with Howie Ginsberg. He's on this site. Maybe he remembers you. My brother Paul was Rickie's age.

I remember that courtyard cause we used the stump as the marking for the endzone.

My oldest brother David is married to Carol and they have been living in Longmeadow for about 30 years. Alan lives in Brentwood, CA. I was the youngest of the 3 but the parkrat. Sure, I remember Bruce Berkowitz.

When I saw where you were living, I figured that you might know David or Carol. Take care. The schoolyard education cannot be duplicated.

Rick,

I remember playing ball with you. You were older than me, but I used to play with you, and of course, Mitch Schorr.