I went out to dinner with my folks the other day and finally asked them how they met -- their eyes lit up and they both told such great stories from back in the day about it. It was really cool, and I never would've thought to ask without this thread in the back of my mind the past few months.

So, you gonna tell us?

It's so hard to be lazy around here!

Well the actual "meeting" was easy to guess cuz my mom was a nurse and my dad a new intern at Kings County Hospital (Brooklyn) in the early/mid 50's. She's from Brooklyn, he's from what would become Springsteen territory: Asbury Park, NJ (when it was still an Italian neighborhood). Apparently my dad was pretty shy and kinda naive but my mom gave in and went out on a date with him, thinking it'd be a one-shot deal since she already had her eyes on a CPA (stereotypes aside, she was looking for a Jewish man, not an Italian). She said back in the day the suitors would call on a Wednesday for a Saturday date; never same-day dates. After so many weeks of going out she finally kissed him because he would always just shake her hand and she was like WTF?

But the point is, they were excited to talk about it, and recalled things like it happened yesterday -- their marriage in San Antonio, Texas where he was stationed... how she wanted him to be stationed overseas (Germany for some reason) for the excitement, but he ended up requested Brooklyn of all places (good old Floyd Bennett Field)... their low-income housing experiences in Buffalo... it was just really cool to listen to them. And very weird hearing my mom talking about barely ending up with my dad! ...and now it's been over 51 years they've been together.

Very nice, Geoffy.

Straight out of "An officer and a gentleman".

Nice story Geoff. I find that many times, especially with those who are getting up their in age and have experienced life, they really light up and appreciate it when someone from a different generation asks them to share stories and experiences from their younger days.

Thanks for sharing.

That is so great Geoffy.

Very nice story, Geoff.

After reading it, I realized that I don't know exactly how my parents met. I'll have to ask them over the holidays.

Sometimes you're so dumb I'd like to smack ya. You never heard these old stories? Your folks enjoyed talking about the old-times. You make movies? Did it EVER occur to you to film them (documentary style) while reminiscing about their past together?? (You can always edit in some old photos and score it with old 50's music).

You have new nephews, right? This is part of THEIR heritage, too. Years from now this type of film will be all they have to see/hear about how the Malta clan was started.

I taped my folks (talking about how they met for a short time) a few years before my dad died. I am so glad I did!!

SC, that reminds me of the older folks in WHEN HARRY MET SALLY.

And remember, Harry and Sally ended up talking about their wedding at the end, too. And they were happy to. Don Cardi said it - people are happy to talk about things like that. Imagine how much happier they are when telling those stories to a son!! It'd be pure magic caught on film!

Yeah, I agree.

Geoff! You spend time with your family? Because a man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.

Know what SC? It's all that comedy he's been playing with that young girl!

Maybe we need to send someone to visit that Hollywood bigshot and get him to agree to make a documentary.

He goes to them once a week with his laundry and probably drinks champagne cocktails while listening to "Pop Goes the Weasel". We gotta smarten up our Don.

Of course I've thought about that! But interview-style probably never comes across like casual retelling. Something to think about, though...

For a few years I've wanted to at least do one with my dad about the fall (destruction, basically) of Asbury Park and its current rebirth (thankfully it's coming back now after MANY years of corruption) -- just a few years ago JRCX and I took some footage when everything was really shady and boarded up, many of those buildings are now gone -- and by next summer I should be able to get some great "After" footage. I even hope to make a Current TV "pod" (short documentary) on it.

Doodyballs!! Put them in front of an old photo album and they'll start talking. Just focus the camera on them!

Don't think too long.... get it done!!!

Let JRCX film them from afar while you have a casual conversation about their past with them. This way they won't feel as though they're right in front of the camera.

As for the Asbury park thing, perhaps you could incorporate your father and some of his old stories in that also. You did say that he was from Asbury Park, right?

Yea Geoffy get that done. That will be a nice heirloom that can be past down from generation to generaton.

That'd be the point, yeah I just wish I could get a hold of some Before-Before footage when Asbury Park was a major seaside resort...

That's me on my Holy Communion Day circa May, 1956. Senator Geary took the picture. He was only a Congressman at the time. Mine was a smaller venue.

Cute picture, MC. I love those shoes!!

You have a pair don't you, SC?

Actually he borrowed them from me for his Bar Mitzvah.

That's because you weren't wearing the traditional white communion shoes :

Yeah, mine were probably handed down from my sister, who got them from my brother. The family had a lot of buffas.

My parents honeymooned in Asbury Park. Not that they wanted to. At their wedding (during the war), one of the guests stole my fathers cash and gas rationing stamps (nice guest). They were suppose to drive to Virginia Beach. My grandfather handed them a wad of cash and Asbury was as far as they could go from Jersey City. A sad beginning, but they had four kids and were married for almost 50 years before Dad departed for the heavens.

I posted this photo awhile ago on the Sports forum. On the left, my grandfather, on the right Babe Ruth. Circa 1945-48 at Greenwood Lake, NY. The story goes, my grandpa struck up a friendship with the Babe while both were demonstrating their beer drinking prowess.

My jaw hit the floor. Did they ever discover who the guest was.

I remember hearing a similar story of how a bride and groom had thousands of dollars stolen at their reception. It was only after they were viewing the wedding video weeks later that they saw one of their parents making off with the cash.

Didn't Chevy Chase get these shoes from his brother-in-law in Vacation ?

There was a suspect. A fellow who helped carry the luggage to the car. Apparently my Dad had all the cash and stamps in a jacket pocket. My grandfather (Mom's father) was a Jersey City cop (the one with Babe Ruth). He was a bit drunk at the time and he wanted to search everyone. My Mom was so embarrassed she begged him not to.