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Statement
BORN: EAST PATCHOGUE, NY

When I was growing up in East Patchogue, it was like a back-water-type place. It’s really changed now; there’s a big highway that runs through it. But it was really nice then.

When I was there it was easy to ride your bike all over the place. There was a dirt road and woods and all sorts of stuff and you could fool around—you could ride your bike and have fun with your little friends. Now it’s all condos!

There were no sidewalks, so me and my little friends had mini-bikes for a while—a frame with a lawn mower engine was what it was. And you could ride up and down the street and not worry about getting crushed by a truck.

The long and the short of it is that I’ve never left New York State. You ask yourself from time to time how where you grew up colors the rest of your life. I like to think growing up in East Patchogue made me a nicer person. East Patchogue and my parents!

—Mike Cullen

All images copyright Ellen Jacob

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