I've Gotta Tell You About 'NORMAN' (The Guyanese Guy) Another 'TRUE' Story

I’ve Got to Tell Ya About, ‘Norman’ (The Guyanese Guy) Norman was one of those guys who kind of operated on the fringes of the Mob; the Columbians, Puerto Ricans, the Greeks, Albanians and who knows how many other imported characters in the neighborhood. He was sort of an independent type of guy; not big in stature, or girth…soft spoken, well mannered and seemingly, a bit more intelligent than the average slob on the streets...

Norman used to come into the Sandwich and Bake shop I frequented, near where I ran a little Athletic Club on Astoria Blvd. The area was referred to as ‘Little Italy’ by the locals (I bet you can guess why) Astoria Queens actually had ‘two’ Little Italy’s. One was on the south side of Astoria Park stretching up 14th Street between 21st Street and Vernon Blvd. The other Little Italy section was further up Vernon Blvd. in L.I.C. (Long Island City)

Astoria, New York generally had a huge Italian population, back in the day, with a good mix of German, Irish, Greek and a sprinkling of other nationalities…Later on, the balance changed to include pockets of a greater variety of folks; Albanian, Croatian, Serb, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Pakistani, Egyptian, East Indian, Korean, Chinese…etc., etc…a ‘true’ melting pot of nationalities.

Getting back to Norman…he was born in British Guyana, and came to the States in his teen years. At one point, he masqueraded as a Midas Muffler mechanic. He was always one of those ‘well groomed’ kind of fellows too. ‘not’ the flamboyant, egotistical Hollywood type, who strutted around like they were God’s gift to woman…just always neat, and squeaky clean looking. How Norman stayed that way changing dirty, crusty old mufflers all day long remains a mystery yet to be solved…

How and where Norman got his jewel thief, fencing operation, gun running, money laundering, drug supply and ‘other’ skills, also remains a mystery to be solved. He was a multi-talented, entrepreneur of sorts, with a keen ability to fade into the background. Maybe he was a ‘Ninja’…I don’t know?? Are there Ninjas in British Guyana…??

Norman began to stop by my club here and there. He’d mostly hang around to be sociable (mostly with me) he worked out a little with the weights and machines I had there; but, mostly a ‘fitness’ type routine…nothing too heavy. Looking back, I think he was mostly trying to get a feel as to who I was, who I knew, where I came from and my ideas about life in general. It seemed, I was being 'scoped' out…

As time went on, Norman no longer wore a mechanics uniform, and I began to see him less and less. When I did see him, he often had a small following tagging along; his ‘crew’ so to speak. They were young, obviously hard, street kids…the kind of ‘gang’ like breed.

Occasionally I’d see a kid with him that I knew from the neighborhood. We’d small talk and chit-chat about things in general, while his ‘boys’ lingered around in silence. Pegging Norman and his entourage as a criminal entity, was not a difficult thing to do; I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, or had a Nanny to watch over me, while my mother sat around eating Bonbons all day long, with her Martini sipping, Bridge Club ladies…

What Norman was into at the time, was kind of vague, but I assumed it was mostly a drug thing. How deep and at what level was anybody’s guess? It wasn’t exactly the most polite thing to ask a guy what his game was, on the street, unless he volunteered something first.

Somewhat later in time, I had been going through some life changes. The economy fell flat, I lost my best friend/business partner, and lost my wife; lost my lease on the space I rented and ultimately lost my business.

End of 'Part One' (To be Continued) LINK to PART #2