My father was in and out of work all during the 50s... strikes, recessions, cancer. During one period of prosperity, he bought a piano. I hated and loved the piano. Hated it because my teacher kept a ruler handy to smack me on the hands when I muffed a note. Loved it because the entire family would gather around the piano and sing.

I got lost once at Steeplechase Park in Coney Island (a most remarkable place with a horse chase ride that went on forever... on of the World's greatest amusement parks. I was found by New York's Finest and taken to the Police Station. My frantic mother finally located me. The cops - all Irish - had me standing on the captain's desk and were milling around. Couldn't figure out how a kid that small with an English accent knew so many Irish songs. Very suspicious. That's how it all started.

All the best, Dan Milner