(What follows is an excerpt from Marine Tigers: A NewyoRican Story, my full length memoir available on Amazon)
Looking west from 133rd Street we could see beyond the Hudson, to New Jersey and Palisades Amusement Park’s roller coaster, overlooking the river from its perch atop a high cliff. An electronic sign above the coaster moved announcements of rides, news, ads and current time across its expanse. I was fascinated by the lighted moving messages, checking often to see the time. While on the street playing, I might be alerted that it was time to go home, or watch a favorite show on TV, like ‘Al Hitch’ (the Alfred Hitchcock show) on CBS. I would often lie on the fire escape at night and watch the lights as they delivered information. The fire escape was also a good place to think.
Sometimes, on a summer night, I’d just lie there staring up at the sky, with its limited view of the stars. I didn’t know it was limited, as I listened to bits of conversations rise from stoops and sidewalk, not really caring about them, but letting the sounds of the subway rumbling and car tires on the Broadway cobblestone meld with those of kids and teens laughing, kidding around and flirting. Cigarette smoke wafted through the air and an occasional whiff of the river mingled with it. Voices raised in anger or jubilation, sounds of sirens from emergency vehicles pierced the air every now and then, as in the day and all was well and right in the world.
A wide pipe hefty enough to be seen snaking its way up the cliff could be seen as well. There was a ferry that took passengers across the river to where buses waited to deposit them at the park’s entrance. The cost of the ferry and the park’s entrance fee were prohibitive to us at the time. Although Paquito was shy and remains a somewhat shy individual today, he had an idea that, as his, seemed implausible. While his truancy as a teenager got him into some trouble, he was mostly a law abiding kid. He stayed out of trouble with the law; though he drove without a license, and may have handled stolen goods, he’d never been arrested. He was otherwise fairly normal for a kid on the block.
But when he came to me with the idea of sneaking into the park?! It was all I could do not to jump up and shout it out the window. “What?!” I whispered loudly, not wanting Mami to hear. “Shhh!” Mami’ll hear!” He shot back in a loud whisper. I was truly surprised. Not just because it was Paquito’s idea, but that he would invite me along! It was a big deal. But not until we had taken the ferry across the Hudson and were confronted by the immense precipice, did I realize what a truly big deal it really was. And while other passsengers headed for the bus stop a short distance away, we veered out of view to where we would begin our climb, hoping they’d think we lived in the area.
Moving low, so as not to be seen from the ferry below or the surrounding area, we rushed toward the large pipe leading up the cliff to the park. We didn’t think we’d be seen from the other side. I looked up to see only sky above the challenging cliff that stood between us and an afternoon’s fun filled adventure. I feared getting caught and having Mami find out. I feared getting into trouble with the police for sneaking into the park. But it was too late to worry now. The familiar pipe I’d seen daily from my fire escape extended up the cliff before me and disappeared some yards above my head. The pipe seemed immense, maybe twenty inches across.
There was a smaller pipe by its side that appeared to be attached to it. Dirt, weeds and rocks everywhere covered most of the cliff hiding parts of the pipe. I only cared that we were on our way to a free entry into a fantasy land of rides, French fries and cotton candy. I drew from my imagination and pictures I’d seen on billboards, what lay before us, as Paquito quickly surveyed the area. Beyond the roller coaster high above, the electronic sign that mesmerized me daily with its moving letters, challenging me to read faster, or wait for the message to come around again, loomed high above us; though we couldn’t see the letters from where we stood.
I’d been looking at that sign every day for as long as I’d lived on a 133rd Street. I felt my nerves tingle within. I grabbed hold of some weeds with one hand and placed my other hand on the pipe’s surface, bracing for balance. I began cautiously hoisting myself up along the pipe, questioning what I’d gotten myself into. We struggled up the pipe, taking hold, on occasion, of the overgrown foliage for support. Paquito kept watch over me, lending a hand when needed and especially as we neared the top. I looked down and could see the river, but not where we’d begun the climb. And although he didn’t show any fear, though he saw it in me, he pulled me onto the flat ground at the top.
Having reached the top, the park’s sounds brought us into the festive world of the park. The cyclone fence preventing entrance to the park had to be dealt with. I readied to climb the fence; not my first. But Paquito grabbed my arm and led me to an opening, where others had entered before us. The roller coaster roared above, as screams followed the clickety clacking and squealing of the cars; their shadows crossed our path. I followed Paquito through the white wooden maze of the tall structure supporting the tracks. Looking back across the river below, we could see Manhattan on the other side. The excitement of our accomplishment was complicated by the fear of getting caught.
The smell of French fries and hot dogs beckoned and pride over our feat struck me. At the other side of the structure we could see people moving past the opening to the park. The sounds of the crowd got louder as we approached. We stayed low and paused to check for park workers or cops before joining the crowd. Then suddenly Paquito was pulling me along beside him and we were immersed in people. We’d made it! We were inside Palisades Amusement Park. It had all been worth it. For the first ten minutes or so I kept thinking we might get caught. Once I overcame that feeling I began to check out the rides and check my pockets to see what I could afford.
In spite of having to ration what little money we had, we managed to have a good time and appease our appetites with candied apples, hot dogs and even French fries. When it was time to leave Paquito and I took the bus to the ferry. I’ve forgotten the cost, but it might have been free, or I might have snuck on, as I’d done on city busses or the subway. I felt fulfilled and proud to have made the trip. We would do it all again at least one more time. I remember once after Louie and Dotty were married, they took me along with them and their first daughter, Donna to Palisades Park’s pool, where artificial waves created were the pool’s most touted feature. It was great fun.