Millie McColm, friend and mentor

Millie McColm was a employee of the Monte Carlo Pool in the resort Town of Asbury Park, New Jersey. The Monte Carlo Pool was one of the world's largest public pools. It had an underground passage that led to the beach. You could go to the pool and then to the beach.

The pool was owned and operated by three partners, Smith, Rediker Brothers, and Musto. This made it easy for the members of the community to secure summer jobs. I just turned 14 and got my working papers and started working at the Monte Carlo Pool. Thats when I met Millie McColm, an employee and cashier of the Pool. She suggested tha I started out cleaning the lockers and floors.

A job vacancy opened up in the family locker section of the pool, Millie asked I would work the lst floor family lockers. I said yes. She told me to work hard, be dedicated, and honest. Keep confidential the business of the Pool. I started to make tips for assisting customers with their lunch boxes, lunch boxes, coolers, blankets, etc. I told Millie about this and her reply was be professional and keep your financial business private. I worked at the Monte Carlo Pool for about 6 years. She felt that I needed to sharpen my social graces.

So She would take me to up scale restaurants for fine dining. One of the restaurants was the Cypress Inn, a great supper club in nearby Ocean Township, New Jersey. It was quite a landmark. I continued to stay in contact with Millie for several years thereafter. I would visit with her at her home in Buena Vista in Allenhurst, New Jersey. I loved and miss her very much. She was my friend. She was a wonderful mentor.

Sidney Maxwell, prize fighter and friend

Sidney Maxwell, prize fighter and friend. I met Sidney Maxwell 20 years ago. He owned the local laundramat in the Town of Manasquan, New Jersey. My wife Peggy and I lived with our family in the Manasquan Shores Section of Wall Township, just over the border line into Manasquan. Public sewer was not available at the time so we had to go to a Laundramat.

So the first person I met in the laundramat was Sidney Maxwell. I place our clothes in the machine and wait for cleaning and drying. After a while Sidney said that he would take care of loading the clothes for washing and drying. I went home and told my wife about him. She was very curious about the prize fighter and the laundramat. Sidney told me that he was a light weight champion boxer. He was on the same billing as Jack Dempsey the world famous heavy weight champion of the world.

She decided to make him dinner as a thank you for his assistance. So every sunday like clock work I would bring the clothes to the laundramant and Sidney would have them washed, dried, and folded. He loved the home cooked meals. Eventually the laudramant was closed. Sidney asked me if we could become friends. I said, yes of course.

He lived in a small rented house near the railroad tracks. So two or three times a week I would Sid for coffee, lunch, or dinner. I was notified that Merv Griffith Casino was having free seminars for their executives, law enforcement, and eduators. I asked Sidney to join me. When the attendants found out that Sid was a world class boxer he became an instant star. The staff would come and get my car and give Sid special treatment.

Our relationship became stronger and took walks down the beachessd in Point Pleasant Beach and Manasquan. Sidney was very witty. He would make a joke and see if I could the punch line. He caught me many times, not getting it.

Sidney got to know all of our children and family. He attended social functions and my daughter's wedding. He was the best dressed man at the event. Sidney lived to be 96 and died in 1998. It was a terrible loss for the community but especially for my family and me. I will always remember Sidney Maxwell. God gave me a special friend and confidante.

Tillie Najar, My Mother and The Mother Teresa of Asbury Park, New Jersey

Tillie Najar, orphan, mother, spouse, and community servant. My mother represented love and charity. She feed the hungry, prayed with and for the sick, counseled the infirmed in the hospital , and gave her money to those in need of Asbury Park, New Jersey. You might say that she followed the example of Mother Teresa in her Town of Asbury Park.of the Town.

Tillie's low key approached surprised people, how could this sweet lady know so much. She had the gift of intuition and wisdom. She loved all people. You were never the same after you met her. Thank God my borther and I were the recipents of her love.

Love and Pain

Love and Pain, where is the gain,
where there is love there is pain,
when there no pain there is no love

Why did you leave so soon,
There is so much pain, I lost my love,
Where there is no pain, there is no love

When will I see you again, I am in pain,
I miss your love, I am in pain
I need your love,
no pain, no love.

Florence Hartigan, My Magnificent Mother-in-law

My mother-in-law was a very important person in my life.
She was an orphan, overcame adversity, and was a victim of bigotry. Florence was a woman of integrity and honesty. She helped me to understand my role in the family.I was only 19 when I started dating her daughter, Peggy The Poet Najar. Peggy died on June 22, 2008.

Florence had great insight into family life, human relations, social graces, and finances. There are many stories I can tell about her loving support. One involves paying off the car repair bills on our car. When confronted with this situation, she drove her car to the repair shop and told the techician to sell her car and pay our bill. She left the auto shop and walked home.