If you ever spent any significant time in Crown Heights or on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, you probably met Charlie "Buttons." Singing Shabbos songs on the subway during rush hour, hanging out in Linclon Square Synagogue or in 770, Charlie always seems to be there, spreading his special brand of good cheer.
ABC World News Tonight had a piece tonight on the shrinking size of Americans. That's right, we're getting shorter – we're now the shortest western industrialized country. Not so long ago, we were the tallest. And, experts say, this new height disparity is not due to immigration – it comes from poor diet and a lack of exercise.
So what does this have to do with Charlie? Not much. So why mention Charlie in a post about the newly shrinking American? Because the shoot was done outside the MacDonald's on 71st and Amsterdam. And who walks by heading toward Lincoln Square near the end of the clip? Charlie "Buttons."
This will mean little to most people. But, to many of who spent time in CH or the UWS, seeing Charlie brings back pleasant memories and puts a smile on our faces. And, after all that is what Charlie is about.