As a single woman after my first marriage I was looking to have a good time. One night my friends and I went to the Hilltop Bar downtown. Brooklyn I will never forget the first time we laid eyes on each other. I had met my future husband that night. I knew he was married and he had many girlfriends too. In fact he owned the Hilltop Bar. He was a wiseguy, everyone admired him. Once we were involved I started hanging with the guys. Working as a barmaid. I would run the place, while he would run around.The Police were always looking to arrest the fellas but they never had enough intelligence to do so.I was picked up once and questioned by the Homicide squad. But I never ratted. They tried hard to convince me that I had to, but I never gave in. They even went as far as telling me that they would take my son away. "Oh" when they told me that I jumped right over the desk and punched one of the detectives right in his face. They continued to try to persuade me by showing me pictures of my man with other women. I figured what's the difference I knew what I was getting into when we first laid eyes on each other. One night while we were leaving our hotel, we were waiting for valet to bring us our car. We realized it was taking a long time. The workers kept making different excuses for why they were taking so long. After one hour they finally got it for us. We weren't even think- ing The Feds were placing a bug in the car. We had found out the hard way later on in court. That was the only way for them to get in our world besides the occasional rats. But thats another story. We were partners in crime, always the best dressed, finest jewelry, nicest cars.

Everything we had was the best of the best. We went to great hotels and night clubs and were always traveling to beautiful places. In the late 1970's Miami was the spot. We were there at least three times a year. For business and pleasure of course. The Fountain Blue, it was beautiful there. The Diplomat hotel, where we would meet a good friend of ours, Robert Goulet all of the time.The entertainment there was great, one act in which I will never forget, Liza Minelli. We were at Stans on the Inter- coastal, Nat King Cole after hours club and the Cricket Club which was a very private club to name a few. While we were there we met a lot of our friends from New York. I met a few who I didn't know at all. I didn't understand them either. They were mostly Cubans and Columbians. So I would leave that business to the men, and go shopping. I would go to Neiman Marcus my absolute favorite place to shop.. still is.. I would go down to Collins Ave. and enjoy all of the shops there also. Miami was and still is the place to travel, shop and dine in the finest places. We own a home nearby till this day. And I still love getting all dressed up to go out who doesn't. When we do go out People always ask my husband if he's from New York. He still has that look about him, handsome as always. That is why I married him! But I will never forget how to be his #1 Comare...

-Love Dee