A Bronx Cheer for the Birthday Boy!

Once a kid, always a kid, even when he's an old schnauzer! Happy birthday, Ralphie boy!

The Honeymooners

Ralph, in matching coat and Beetle, poses with his wife, the lovely Jan, as they enjoy their honeymoon.

This is not Italy, but they'd get there one day...

Ethel Mer-mangia!

 

Los Angeles, 1969: The author, on a family vacation, takes a dip in the hotel pool. See the twinkling of the toes and the posing of the fing-airs! One wonders whether the pool was full of guests before the dipping of his pale Bronx tootsies!

A Real Class Act: Ralph Graduates Grade School

Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you the Santa Maria School Class of 1962. Try to find Ralph. He's the Italian.

Birth of a Saleman

Young Ralph, Future Salesman Extraordinaire, seen here hawking rug sweepers in Castle Hill, The Bronx. At his fifth call, he makes his first sale, after spitting up on his bib and crying like, well, a baby. An historical (and hysterical) moment!

Look Out First Grade - Ralph Graduates Kindergarten

June, 1954: Ralph graduates from kindergarten at Santa Maria School in the Bronx (obviously). Here's our young author surrounded by a cast of characters that reads like the credits to "Moonstruck": Lorraine Ciccarelli, Gregory Palaveri, Barbara Zampetti, Mary Ann D'Amico, John Pisano, et al.

Fuccillo on Dylan

"The great folk singer and songwriter, who I so loved to listen to frequently. My brother experienced Dylan early on in his career at the Gaslight in the Village, Manhattan. My brother, Jerry, once sold him a single rose when he was a floral designer at Park Florist located at 34th and Park Avenue in Midtown. This was shortly after Dylan had his serious motorcycle accident. Needless to say they never came in contact again.

"I remember when I was a freshman in high school I would give my personal translations of Dylan's lyrics to my friends, who waited with bated breath for each meaning of a Dylan song. I probably made things up as I went along giving my own very special interpretations!"