Our New Edition Softcover,
A Place Called Brooklyn, by Frank Cornacchiulo
The updated softcover book is now available at Bookbaby.com. Our book is about growing up in the 1940s and 50s in a place called Brooklyn, the center of my universe was located deep in the section called Red Hook. At Smith-9th, the old IND Subway is grandly elevated as the highest elevated station in both Brooklyn and the city, conforming to old regulations that allowed tall-mast ships to navigate the Gowanus Canal. The metal trestles and pillars were constructed in concrete. Like that grand station, so are my memories cast in concrete. I have a never-dying remembrance of what life was like once upon a time. One story I recall is when I celebrated my 30th anniversary, working at the W, Braun Company. That's when Mr. Morris Braun, took out his gold pocket watch and told me how much he appreciated all the years we worked together and gave me his family heirllom to keep as a reward for all our accomplishments.
These stories are not meant to chronicle the suffering that a generation endured, but to document some the wonderful experiences when I growing up on the streets of the densely populated Brooklyn. Their ingenuity bested boredom through street games and spontaneous adventures. Games like tag, buck/buck, hide & go seek, one and over, ring-a-leave-e-o, and others that did not require a ball, rope, skates, bat, baseball cards, marbles, straws etc. And, we can add to this mix various adventure games that involved fireworks, chalk, balloons, lumber, sticks, yo-yos, straws, also discarded items (Skates, Gallon Glass Jars, Cans, Carriages, etc.) That could be recycled into a game. These stories feature ‘Pepino’ a nine-year-old Italian kid, who lives with his mother, father, and teenage sister in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn during the summer following World War II and are told through his eyes.
Growing up in Red Hook Brooklyn, as a pre-teenager, I had one job or another. In my early years I collected deposit bottles, sold fruits and vegetables by horse and wagon for tips, broke into condemned houses and foraged for copper and lead. I was also employed at Defonte's Sandwich Shoppe and made hundreds of sandwiches for Football Weddings. Every weekend I delivered Soda and Seltzer, When I was in Boys High School I worked in a sweat shop for four hours every night after school. I later started as an apprentice in a local Butcher Shop to learn the trade.Upon graduation My friend Gabe and I became Butchers at a wholesale Butcher shop among 50 Union Butchers. It was the most money I ever earned.
I occasionally even worked part time on weekends as a Male Model. But I never thought that being a union butcher would be my career goal. I wanted my career goal was to go to work ever day in a suite and tie, that's when I decided to quit being a butcher.
As this young boy I matured into manhood, and that's when I joined a cosmetic packaging company called, W. Braun Co. in the mailroom. Like Horatio Alger, thanks to my mentors and work ethics I established my career goal when I eventually became a company share holder, and successful top executive at the W. Braun Company. My career started at the Braun mail room. Yes, the mail room with a 40% pay cut when I quit being a union member Butcher. I worked my tale-off learning everything about the cosmetic and personal care packaging business. After 10 years of sweat and tears I was promoted from the mail room to being an expeditor, to assistant sales manager, when I received a call from my CEO, Morris Braun in Chicago inviting me to a board of directors meeting the following week. I couldn't understand why he wanted me there. He went on to explain that it would give me a broader understanding of our Company. So I made plans to be there. While sitting at this meeting, they talked about the rising cost of health insurance, sales goals, personnel, etc. That's when Morris Braun said that he wanted to propose a management change to the board of directors. That's when he proposed a management change in New York elevating Frank Cornacchiulo to Vice President of sales and product development. Well, I was stunned. I never saw this coming. That's when the board of directors give their unanimous approval.
After I got over the shock that now I am a VP, I called my wife Frances and she was also shocked about the news, and said that I deserved the promotion. I was in a euphoric State digesting this "Big" change in my life. It was a very cold day. While I was waiting to board my plane, the maintenance crew was deicing the plane just before take off. That's no big deal, after all I'm in Chicago. While taking off, I look out the window and see some debris flying along side the plane. We take off and the flight was uneventful until we approached LaGuardia Airport. The pilot announced that "some passages noticed the debris flying at take off which maybe from a tire on the right side of the plane, and therefore prior to landing, we will do a fly over the airport so that the ground grew can inspect the condition of the landing gear. If every thing looks okay. Upon landing on the runway, I will tilt the plane to our left." I thought to myself, "Holly Crap! I may not be a VP for long if we don't survive this landing." As the plan came down on to the tarmac I could see all the lights flashing from the emergency vehicles following the plane down the runway. Thanks to the pilot, the landing was successful. Thank God that we all made it home in one piece that day.
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