My First Bank $$$ Book, By: Frank Cornacchiuilo

My First Bank $$$ Book By: Frank Cornacchiulo

Grammar School children open A Bank Savings Account in 1951During the early 1950s I went to grammar school at PS-27 on Nelson St. In Red Hook Brooklyn, I think it was the 3rd grade when principal came to our classroom and said, “that we are now able to have our own bank account from the Hamilton Savings Bank where we can save for the future”. I couldn't believe it. Now I can take the money I make on cash-in deposit bottles, and put this money into my own savings account. my goal was to deposit $0.25 every week. As time went by, I think it was 1957 I checked my bank book and found that I saved $63.50. wow! my birthday was coming up so I asked my mother if I could use the money, I saved to buy a new bike? She agreed and then she said that she would make up the difference if the bike cost more than your savungs as a gift for your Birthday. I started looking for a bike that I could afford to buy with my savings.

It was like the beginning of a new adventure for me to find a new bike that would take me into my teenage years. So, I checked if my friends could recommend the best place or store, I could find a selection of bikes to choose from. Many of them suggested to go to Stanley Hardware in Bay Ridge which is only a half hour Bus Ride away from Red Hook. I asked Roger who is my teenage friend and lives in my building to go with me. He agreed if I would buy him lunch at Defonte’s Sandwich Shoppe beforehand. I agreed to pay him off with a foot long sandwich.

After we both had lunch we took the B-17 Bus to Bay Ridge. When we got there, I didn’t realize how big the Stanley Hardware store was. We went in and we didn’t have any trouble finding a large assortment of bikes to choose from. For me it was love at first sight. I could not take my eyes off the most expensive bike on the floor. After expenses (lunch, transportation, etc.) I had $55.00 dollars left to put towards the new bike which costs $110.00. I don’t think my mom expected to put that much money for the Schwinn kid's two-wheeled equivalent of a Corvette. It was red, black, and gold, with tons of chrome. To top it off it had a built in security system with a key lock. Kids could fasten playing cards with a clothespin to the bike's frame so that they hit the spokes as the wheels turned, making a loud noise that was supposed to sound like a motorcycle…. too cool for words I never thought could ever buy such a beautiful machine. We also attached streamers to the handlebars, extra lights and chrome crossbars to really pimp that ride. So, Roger and I took the B-17 Bus back home.

When I got home and walked into our apartment my mother could see that I wasn't a happy camper. So she asked me what's the matter "Birthday Boy" ? Did you find the new bike that you were looking for? I said yes and no and I continued to tell her the whole story. After I finished she look just as unhappy as I was. Then she said "don't give up so fast let me think about it? " My father and sister were home also, it was dinner time so we had some some pasta and meatballs and then I sat by the radio to listen to some of my stories. A couple of days went by and kept thinking that I will never will get the new bike of my dreams. That's when she smiled at me and said I think I know how we can get you the fancy new bike you love for your birthday." I could not believe it I just assumed it was a dead subject.

She went on to tell me that Phil the Butcher on the corner of Fourth Place and Clinton Street is looking for a delivery boy with a bike to deliver meat orders part time to his customers. He will pay the delivery boy $20.00 a week plus tips. So if you manage to get this job you can give me $10.00 a week for the money that I will give you to pay for the bike. Wow, I could't belive it, there's a good chance now that my dream bike will be mine afterall. My sister's husband, John, who had a car, and he and I went back to Stanley Hardware, bought the bike and a basket to carry the meat orders and now I'm a part time employee for Phil the butcher. As time went by it was several months since I was working for Phil the Butcher. I was happy that I paid off the money mom gave me for the bike but what I didn't know as it turned out I was also a handyman for Phil. In addition to making meat delivers Phil made me do garden work and then he told me to black tar his roof for the apartment buillding and then tar his four car garage roof and alot of shit jobs he never mentioned to me beforehand. Phil never paid me for all this extra work. I was pissed off but never told him that I was upset about my new job discription for $20,o0 a week. That's okay, after-all I did get my dream bike.