Our Gang - circa 1928

I love this old photo of my mother, (sitting front and center) with what I assume are some of the other neighborhood kids plus her uncle Ben, the tall fellow in the back row. It’s obviously a posed picture, probably taken by my grandfather somewhere in Brighton Beach where they lived and where he had his photo studio.

It’s hard to say if this was just a fun, quirky shot he decided to do, or if it had some purpose. But I noticed that all the kids are all wearing baseball caps, or holding them, except for the girl in the back row. A few balloons are scattered around as well. Hard not to notice how well dressed they all are, some in their little overcoats, and some of the boys even have suits on.

In any case, it’s a window into a time long gone and part of the story we can only guess at but still enjoy.