I met Herbie when his family moved to 135 Windsor ave, Southampton, Pa from the city (Philly).If memory serves me right it was around the mid 1960’s.
We hung out and played a lot of basketball at the local elementary school. We played 2 on 1, me and Jimmy against Herbie and he beat us most of the time. We fished together, worked out together, moved up To Archbishop Wood High School for Boys and double dated together. Spent many many days in his bedroom he shared with Jimmy listening to the Sounds of Silence album. Went to see the Graduate at the Barn Cinema. Great times. We had a summer job once framing apartments in Doylestown. Herbie was a year ahead of me in High School, didn’t matter we were buds. We followed our own paths for several years, staying in touch. Herbie, Steve Viteo and I made I bet that the last one to get married got $50.00 from the other two. It was my idea and I married first. Best $100.00 I ever spent. I could go on for days but my time is up, the band is playing so I will end this with this, Herbie was one of the best friends I had growing up. He made a difference everywhere he went. When his Mom told me Herbie had Parkinson’s was like a gut punch. How could this happen to Herbie? He never quit fighting or gave in. Whenever I visited him it was like “ I got this thing beat Brownie” and I believed him. Visits were wonderful but the drive home was tough trying to see thru the tears. Anyways, Herbie Hopkins, YOU showed us all how to handle things and to never let them get ahead of you but how to beat em into the ground.
Thank you for being my friend. Give my regards to your parents and I’ll see ya when I see ya.
Godspeed,
Brownie