Billy Petras
Age when this tile was made: 9
Where did you live when you made this tile?Paulina St
Where else have you lived in Somerville?Hawthorne St, Paulina St, Morrison Ave, Malvern Ave... Moved around just a little.
Where do you live now?Orange County, CA
Do you consider Somerville your hometown? Yes
What is your earliest Somerville memory?Got lost following Karen DiPerna home after school (in Kindergarten, I had a crush). Playing with Rick Silvestry, Paul Smith, and the MacGyver (sp) at Kenny Park (The neighborhood came looking for me that night… including the cops, Dad wasn’t too happy) . The Lowe school. Seeing Steve Brown in his backyard playing hookie from the 2nd grade classroom window (Steve lived right next to the Lowe school). First day of school at the Powder House. Mr. McGreal... When we wanted to know if it was a half day or full day, he would give us the half thumbs up or the full thumbs up (he lost half his thumb somehow on one of his hands). Sean Page eating a huge sugar cube behind the kindergarten schoolyard. Wrestling matches on top of an 18 wheeler at the Davis Square T station (when it was under construction) because the roof was made of sheet metal and we could body slam each other without getting hurt (that is, unless you fell off of the truck). Burt Merrill (need I say more). Chris Sears peeing into a beer can in a limo on the way to an Aerosmith concert. Somerville Pop Warner (quit your grab-assin’). East Somerville Basketball (Mr. Ferraro). The list goes on and on… And, of course the rock n roll days with Russell Fortunato, Derek Sidoti and Rick Alford... Capataina-Black!!!
