Re: Trump attacks protections for immigrants from ‘****hole’ of blaccountries in Oval Office meeting
Thanx, interesting post as I posted after 1971 I left the scene, I read that Trump was really into some new clubs after that time.
My favorite places in Manhatten during my prime were of course Maxwell's Plum, Gleason's Tavern on York & John Barleycorn's on 45th
also on the eastside as I remember. I was glad to get out of the scene when I did great times but enough is enough. Trump was one of
the few maybe the only friend I had in that time period that never drank.
I was in my beginning years at the NYPD, recently back from SE Asia and recovering from injuries in Texas in '72. I picked up additional part time security work at some of the clubs, mostly escorting bank deposits, at 4 in the morning. Most of the bouncers, door men, and additional security were NYPD working second part time jobs. I never had a problem entering clubs I didn't work for because I knew the guys working the doors. Or they already knew of me. I spent time at Adam's Apple, a couple of blocks from Maxwell's, did some work for Rodney's and Suspenders out in the Hamptons. Also some of the Salty Dogs, and of course my favorite Max's Kansas City where I preferred to hang my hat. Occasionally performing on open Mic nights. I knew Gleason's and John Barleycorn, the latter where some good friends practically lived. Outside of Max's KC I kept sober. When the scene blossomed downtown and singles scene on the upper eastside withered, I'd run into Don at some of those clubs. For me, the music was the draw. He didn't fit in. Same at Studio 54, which despite the celebrities who used it for photo ops, it was mostly a drug routine.
Donald was sober because he saw how alcohol was effecting his brother, Fred. I don't recall seeing Fred sober as an adult. I wasn't a friend of Don's, just an acquaintance from the neighborhood in Queens. When I ran into him Manhattan, I was surprised he remembered me. We had played pickup games of baseball as kids, he was one of the better players. And we cruised the same social scenes in the neighborhood, along with a thousand other kids.
As adults, we often, as we both moved toward economic successes on our own paths, we started seeing each other at philanthropic events. We'd nod at each other, occasionally shake hands, a bit of meaningless conversation over a drink, but that was it. We were definitely of different strata, his aiming much higher than my own. As a kid, the girls weren't his forte, as an adult he was surrounded by them at these events. Don was smart compared to most who worked the events for business. And he turned on the charm. It was hard to miss. The rest is history. Tho I wouldn't be surprised after all these years if Don welcomed you into the fold with warmth, he was always loyal to his friends.
