Describe J.R. Moehringer's early childhood, including his thoughts about Publicans.

Moehringer, the author of this memoir, was the son of Dorothy and John Moehringer, Sr., known as disc jockey Johnny Michaels. When Johnny violently attacked Dorothy for the second time, Dorothy and her infant son moved back into her parents' home. That house was always crowded with other family members who lived there, resulting in constant chaos. Moehringer's Uncle Charlie lived there as well and was one of the bartenders at Publicans. Moehringer looked to the men who visited Publicans as his role models.

What was Publicans (known early in the story as Dickens)? What was the role this business plays in the neighborhood?

Publicans, originally known as Dickens, was a neighborhood bar in Manhasset, Long Island. Moehringer noted that some considered Manhasset to be a “bedroom community,” but most of the residents considered it a...