The Man with the Front Ass

 The Man with the Front Ass





     South Gate kids lived in a small world and despite being on the edge of one of the largest cities in the country we might as well have been in Hannibal, Missouri. Tweedy boulevard was the center of our universe and we knew the great white people way from Atlantic to Long Beach boulevard. For the 1950's through the 1960's you knew that you could have a sugar feast at Sav-On Drug Store, you could get Red Devil fireworks at the corner of California, purchase ladies fashion at Mode O' Day or get ripped off on sporting goods at F&M Sports. There were four or five markets including the Shopping Bag, Lloyds, the Shopping Basket, Pete's Penney's and the small but cozy Ashton Brothers. There was a legless vet next to Red's Barber shop making keys for folks and a smoky tavern called "Ford's" where a cold one was a quarter and you might find Van or Margaret or both on a stool. The names pop out of the subconscious Phil and Jim's, Greenspans, Debbie Shop, Ross Men's, Wally's Drugs, Child's Toggery, and Kermode and Hamer. Named for a rancher named R.D. Tweedy the layout of the Gate harkened back to the 1870's as a ranch that had been carved out of the Lugo Spanish Land Grant. Cattle once roamed where Chevy's, Fords and Studebakers belched smog enhancing fumes when we were little and had pink lungs. Greg knew the Gate well and I had  lessons on the geography while working for the South Gate Post Office. Typical of the friendship we often took Tweedy characters and made up stories about them or just marvelled at how ridiculous they could be. One of the merchants that caught our fancy was one Mel Levenstein who was a fixture at 4386 with Mel's Shoes where locals could buy Floursheims for the gents , Joyce flats for the gals or Red Goose for the kiddies. Mel was a friendly and honest retailer who did business with a mind on return South Gaters. The thing about Mel was that he was obese below the belt and wore a front ass that bulged from his generously cuts slacks. When he hunkered down with his Brannock device to measure your feet the man was all belly and reading glasses. While we bore no ill to Mel we did remark on his apprearance. Greg liked to say he had not seen his ----in years.





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