Dear Friends and Followers:
A message from “FRED: Buffalo Building of Dreams,” (2021); and “Forever Violet: From Stony Hill to Broadway,” (2023)
FRED’S REFLECTIONS
While my current co-writers work on my new novel “FRED’s Timeless Tenant Tales: Buffalo West Side Stories in the 1930s and 1940s,” I’d like to share a couple of thoughts about learning what it’s like being a human being in the early decades of the Twentieth Century.
When the stock market crashed in 1929, millions were put out of work and lost their life savings. Fortunately, two of my tenants, Sammy and his Sicilian born father, managed to keep the jobs they had secured after years of struggle. Less fortunate were so many of my other tenants who lost their livelihoods and joined the legion of unemployed.
It pained me when my adopted families were forced to leave my premises because they could no longer afford to live here. To make matters worse, I was sold during the heart of the Great Depression of the 1930s. My new owners were irresponsible and because of their neglect, I soon began to deteriorate and grow shabby. Finding myself without tenants I grew depressed and expected to be torn down. However, not long afterward, I was sold and purchased again by more loving owners. I was rejuvenated, and new tenants again began to fill my vacant apartments. Ultimately, I survived, and so, too, did the parade of families that filled my halls and rooms with laughter and life. Despite the hard times that persisted, my tenants never gave up hope. Their stories are inspirational and in most cases, heart-warming. It is my hope that my readers may be inspired to emulate their indomitable spirit and overcome any obstacles they encounter as they pursue their dreams.
Best, FRED
To be continued in September….