Growing up In the Bronx, we lived in apartment 1J and My first cousing Michael lived in apartment 2J. Needless to say we saw quite a bit of each other.I was named after his older brother who passed away. His apartment was my safe haven that I escaped to. Michael looked after me like a big Brother, introducing me to Rock & Roll and we would spend hours listening to his records and I remember like it was yesterday him playing "When You Dance" by the Turbans and it opened up a whole world for me....Michael was always ahead of the times in music, clothing and social activity and I was the lap dog trying to emulate his every move. But what I will never forget was, he never showed any emotion towards me, except the night before I was to have eye surgery I was 9 years old
Michael was 14 and as I left his apartment, he said wait a minute...gave me his new Fats Domino album that I loved and gave me a hug and kissed my cheek and said
"I love you you little "vonce" (jewish for bedbug....) And he was the best man at my wedding on the day, unbeknownst to me that his Mother, My Aunt Jenny had passed away that morning....now it's my turn...I love you you big "vonce"
Stan