Things That You Smile
By: Elizabeth Cassarino
Eric is the godfather of the computer
lab. He will be on the first slide, and
the last slide because he is the
beginning, but not the end. Ha, ha, ha.
We will continue to learn long after
Fortune Society Computer Lab
classes, right Eric?
My kitchen looks like little tiles. So be
it, but this is a rug. I do pretty well in
here. The stationary bike in the corner
is hidden, but I used to blow my hair
and ride at the same time. I do my
hair and makeup here. You can’t see
the refrigerator on the other side or all
the makeup on the counter. Just to
give you an update, I threw the rug
away yesterday and there is white tile.
Now I have to wear slippers.
In my dining room, I have a heart on the
wall. This is my prettiest thing in my
whole house. On Valentine’s Day, it’s
really interesting to look at. But everyday I
pass it and it gives me a warm feeling.
Sometimes I feel like this photo
at Rockefeller Center. I am
strong and staying on the road to
riches. In less that four months
there will be Christmas lights
here when you walk down 5th
Ave. I hope that they changed
the angel statues from last year.
The tourists and native New
Yorkers can see this all year
round.
I am on E. 42nd St. posing for the
camera. I am so cool with this new hat
leather gloves and white fresh coat. I
Dig the scene? I was in my
neighborhood and I was very happy.
The street was full of cars that day as
always.
I am at the beach and having a
smashing time. The glasses never
came off that day. And the bathing
suit was too tight. Other than that,
I guess you could say the buzz
haircut was in style then. I was all
over the beach, dancing, bopping,
sunning, swimming, and snacking
This was the day Eric was lending us the
camera and Ethel took this picture. I liked
taking time to see the statue in the park
down the block, how do you like me now?
I pass through this park on dates or with
family on the way home. It’s really the
park that I see every day when the bus
passes it. I never get off to go to school on
23rd St.
I like the trees they are good for shelter
from the sun or rain, lights at night in this
rock garden and statues. I took this
picture at 38years old. I’m looking good
no? In the background there are picnic
tables and chairs.
Low and behold. This
was taken off the
internet. It is a picture
of the M15 bus. I love
NYC buses. I will
never take a cab, only if
your paying, of course.
Every morning I blast
my Sony FM walkman
and boy do I rock the
bus ride on the way
downtown to 23rd
Street.
I’m very fond of this picture. I
take the train all the time. Here
you caught me dressed to go to a
play. You go girl! I like the ugly
orange seats on the train just for
today. This picture is just a
reminder of myself of how I meet
strangers all the time on the train.
I see this number of the lobby,
everyday and thought that I would take
a picture of it. At least I am still young
and pretty enough to post up this
picture on my slideshow, right?
I like the lobby of the Fortune Society.
When I used to take a break from the
class, I’d see this lobby like eight times
a day.
This is our wonderful new
teacher who is leaving us. She is
the smartest and most helpful
person. She is patient , kind,
cheerful and we are all going to
miss her very much and wish her
the best of luck for her
educational degree. PS Tell
Katherine thank you for the
cookies. Here is a song for her
sister, our Kristen… “Sister
Kristen oh the time has come and
you know that you’re the only
one to say OK.”
As you see, I am max and relax when I
shop. I feel so comfortable in the
99cent store, don’t you? I buy jewelry,
hair bands, sunglasses, make-up, bags,
watches, cosmetics, cards, balloons,
batteries, cameras, statues, and pens.
This is my therapist, until I can
afford one. It’s Barry, alias
Barry White. He gives good
telephone and E-mails. I think
he is like a son to me. Anytime
you want to laugh and use your
energy just talk to Barry, A
major energy vampire.
This building 53 W. 23 St. is the
building that I come to every day
and I look forward to it. I really
LOVE the Fortune Society
Computer Lab , all my
classmates, and teachers. I used
to stay in front of this building to
have a break from the class and
chat. Oh, how sweet it is. And
Pat in the picture keeps me busy.
This is a picture of the WTC. It
has a steel beanstalk in the
middle of the two new towers.
Choose me for mayor picture, I
will rebuild the towers, make
more room on 10th Ave to get
to the Lincoln tunnel, and other
things. I am open for anything.
Everyone wants to swipe this picture of
me in the swimming pool, on E. 23 street
and the FDR drive. Can I help it, if green
is my color. Today, I purposely matched
my bathing suit to my outside shirt and
spandex shorts. I want to welcome
people into the pool as a lifeguard. I just
have to remember next summer to be
ready to sign an application at the W.
59th St. swimming pool. I like this pool
a lot. For some reason the water feels
like a heated outdoor swimming pool.
Ask Reggie, he’ll tell you how warm the
water is.
You will always catch me in a library
in a different branch, on any different
day. Students hang out in the library.
I get videos on VCR,videos , books,
but I have attempted to use a
computer. There is usually a long
waiting line to return items on W.23
St. and 7th and 8th Ave. Grin and
bear it. Try not to talk on the line or
the librarian (who dresses like one, by
the way) will tell you where to go.
The other
woman that
stole my man.
I got this boy dancing off the internet.
Too bad I couldn’t make him come
alive, just like in Al Pacino’s new movie,
“Dot.com” This picture was taken in the
70’s was disco was groovy. And the bus stop,
and the hustle was in . I used to go to Ipanema,
Studio 54, Danceteria, Chippendales, Crisco
Disco, Berlins, Garage, Bonds, Pyramid Club,
Robots, Versage, Red Parrot, Carnaby Street,
Polly Esters, SOB’s, Charlies and Wetlands.
This currency was
given to me at the coin
show. It was nice,
Reggies and I saw a
$100,000 bill in the
show case, at the
Marriot Hotel on
W.45th ST. The show
is called the US
Treasury. You must go
and check it out! But
of course, that was
this past Saturday.
This is David Rothenberg,
the founder of the Fortune
Society and MC of WBAI.
I see him all the time at the
plays, the radio station, at
school, and talk to his
fans. This is an awesome
dude!!! Try to top that,
then triple it. My life has
changed dramatically since
I started answering
telephone and going to
plays. He helped me a lot.
The first play that I saw on April 20th was, "The
Full Monty". It was about a father who was out of
work and needed a job in order to see his son and
pay child support. One day while his took his son
out, he saw a sign in the window, "Dancers
Needed, HIGH PAY." He and his best friend
decided to take lessons from their other friend who
was a dance teacher. After many attempts they
went for try-outs. It was a flop. They needed to
perfect their raw talents. The other four
unemployed workers who worked with him,
joined the act. And what a mostly nude show they
put on. At the end they were successful and tore
off their clothes (OH!) and revealed the Full
Monty.
"The Goat" was a play about a man in
love with a goat that he met in the
country. He tries to tell his wife that he
loves a goat, but she wouldn't believe
him. He told his best friend, who
convinced the wife of this sick love
affair. The truth, I sympathized with him
and I really understood. I have a heart
too. The wife and son were devastated.
She broke plenty of things in the show
to show her anger and promised to get
back at him. She came back (after
storming out of the house while missing
for two hours), with a dead goat.
"I'm Not Rapapport" was a play set
in Central Park. It shows Ben
Vereen and Judd Hirsh as two old
men who enjoy sitting on a park
bench and let life pass them by.
During the show they are
approached by a mugger, and Judd
was thrown to the ground by him.
There was a pimp that was
extorting money from a girl and
Ben and Judd came to the rescue as
two Mafia old men. Only the pimp
caught on and Ben was hurt this
time. The daughter of Judd after
seeing this tried to take her father to
a nursing home and he went. Still
he met his friend in Central Park.
"Blue Man Group" was about three men
who were a comedy act. They filled
large waist size base drums with three
colored liquids. When they hit the
drums and it would splash all over
them. To protect the safety of the
audience clothes they were given free
raincoats. There was a gumball and
marsh mellow mouth catching scene.
And they spit out colors on a canvas
while the other marsh mellow eater
created a sculpture after catching like
25 in his mouth. They took a girl and
sat her down and did a mime act and
gave her flowers, twinkies, and they all
vomited out of their vests and so did
she , with the vest that was tied on).
Capitol Steps was an excellent play.
(Funny thing that the actors reminds
the audience that it would update the
jokes if you came a second time.) It
was a satire of an original play, done
in the White House and has been
performing ever since. There was
music from the 50’s and 60’s. They
replaced the words and danced in
costumes dressed as our favorite
political people in office. Also it has
historical importance, including the
bad guys (our enemies), terrorists.
Not to mention there was a fine blond
piano player throughout the whole
thing. Cute as hell! There are a lot
of cute people. The funniest one yet.
Midwestern Chums focused around a
secretary who ran a school through
manipulation, being a nosy body, obtaining
gossip wherever she can and by listening to
the people on the phone. When a school
bomb hits, the teacher, has his car blown
up, and his apt. robbed. His secretary
invited him to her house and they kissed. I
really like the feel of this behind the scenes
of how a school works from the teachers
view, instead of the students for a change.
Maybe they should be a “Saved By The
Bell” for teachers on TV.
"End Papers" was about a
publishing company in
midtown Manhattan that was
run by an wheelchair bound
man, who had a daughter. He
had a heart attack on stage
and the daughter was left with
all his decisions on who
would work on what, was to
be published, printed at a
cost, and what was acceptable
material. She made a couple
of bad decisions in the
beginning by giving the
responsibilities to someone
she trusted.
"Thunder Knocking on The Door"
was a musical with Leslie
Uggams. It was about a father
who passes away and left two
guitars to his twins, who were a
boy and a girl. The boy lost his
guitar in a bet with a man named
Thunder. The sister was then
propositioned by Thunder, who
was now a paying tenant in her
mother's house. Thunder promised
to give her back her eyesight,
(which she lost in a car accident)
as a gift. He did. But, his plan
was to have a duel of guitars to
see who was the better player and
win the other guitar. Twins won.
This is the end, as you can
see. By now you must be
thirsty. What a good
example of Eric and his
water bottle. Thank you
class. You’re the Best and
nobody does it better that
the Fortune Society
computer class! Eric did
ride his bike here today,
eager to get this party
started right!