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This podcast episode was published on 8/22/2019, which would have been Crazy Philadelphia Eddie's 83rd birthday!  I will be raising a two glasses for you, my good friend!  We sure do miss you! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie had so M e gypsy blood pumping through his pirate heart. If he had some spare supplies, extra flash, and e bit of bank roll, he would stake a claim anywhere. This time, it was San Francisco. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Eddie was willing to explore new areas to open a shop. Some of them made a mint, some of the shops struggled. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie explains that the ground he built his business shifted on him. It is hard to compete with the oldest profession in the world. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

This is the second half of Eddie's story about sitting in at Bob Shaw's tattoo shop in Long Beach, California.  Eddie's experience at Bob's shop was a turning point in Eddie's career.  Eddie used to say that when he walked with Bob Shaw, tattooers would always stop him and ask Bob questions.  Eddie pointed this out to Bob, and Bob replied, "One day, Eddie, they will be stopping you when you walk by, and they will ask you the same questions."  If you are listening to these podcasts, I consider you a friend, and I hope that you are lucky enough to find a mentor like Bob Shaw. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie had older tattooers in New York City that taught him what they knew about tattooing, and he and friends would experiment with the techniques they learned.  Through trial and error, and with pure enthusiasm, they pushed themselves to be better tattooers.  However, upon meeting Bob Shaw, Eddie found a mentor who helped him foster a professionalism that elevated his tattooing skills.   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Even if everything in your life looks perfect, be very wary of the ones close to you that may want to pull the rug out from under you.  When they start to pull the rug, grab your hammer and start swinging!  Check for rattles! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

This episode is a continuation of Sharon's Name Game. Crazy Philadelphia Eddie went through the ringer with his second wife, Sharon.  It seems that the only place he found solace in this marriage was at the tattoo shop or when he went over the top to make things work things with Sharon.  Sometimes a trip to Vegas is a breath of fresh air. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie was always bewildered by his second wife, Sharon. Even the naming of his kids was a confusing issue, and that was just the surface of the problem. Pandora's box was merely a perplexing puzzle compared to his marriage with Sharon. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

At the cashier's cage at most casinos in Las Vegas, there is a pamphlet titled, When the Fun Ends.  Crazy Philadelphia Eddie and his friends definitely tried to beat the odds at the ponies and the tables.  The sporting life introduced him to a lot of interesting characters like Bernie.  Bernie wrote a book called, Green Fever.  It was never published, but talking with him on the phone, he told me about the time Sharon chased him around the car with a kitchen knife while Eddie stood on the hood saying, "Watch out, Bernie!  If she catches you, she will cut you!!!" As intense as a wife with a knife can be, for some guys that does not usher in the end of the fun. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

The Greek Pantheon was graced by Zeus's three daughters: Aglaia, Thalia, and Euphrosyne. The daughters embodied elegance, beauty, and joy.  As Eddie tells it, Philadelphia had three legendary brothers around Chinatown: the Cheety brothers.     --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie was always one to defy the courts or buck the system.  In this episode he packs up the family and heads west to keep everyone together.  Exploring San Francisco, he meets Lyle Tuttle for the first time.  I imagine they are both having drinks right now at some celestial bar.   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie was in his element in Chinatown.  His brothers-in-laws were boxers and jockeys from South Philly, he was among a group of gamblers, and there were I creative hustlers hanging around the shop that kept his social life interesting.  Eddie was in the center of the sporting life in Philly, but it was exactly the opposite at home. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

As Crazy Philadelphia Eddie continued to establish himself in Chinatown, he reached out to the younger tattooers that showed promise.  He was in a position to offer young kids a job just as Max Peltz and Brooklyn Blackie broke Eddie into the business.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie explains that he expected sabotage and covert attacks from the enemies he kept at a distance. He could never prove anything, but he could speculate who was the source of his aggravation. However, if his enemy was in his intimate circle, the attack was right in front of him and very close to the heart.  This time it was point-blank on Race Street. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Crazy Philadelphia Eddie takes a short respite from his Chinatown stories to reminisce about his Coney Island and 8th Avenue shops.  His grandmother used to tell him that life was a roller coaster.  Eddie's life was a bit more.  It was a roller coaster, a casino, a carnival, and an amusement park wrapped into one.  If you really listen to what Eddie is reflecting on, there are some real pearls of wisdom: respect those with an iron will, and don't swim with sharks.   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support

Sharon becomes Eddie's girlfriend, and the chaos that ensues was a vexing tornado that left him confused on many occasions.  Coupled with the city's desire to gentrify skid row, Crazy Philadelphia Eddie was a pirate in uncharted territory....again. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-foemmel/support