Yeah, I remember those Brooklyn brownstones in the summer time. Usually they were built with tar roofs that worked well attracting the sun's heat during the winter but melted you during the summer. Some of the tenants would work on their tans up on the roof. They referred to their environment as "Tar Beach". Then there were the stairs! Most of these buildings were four or five story walk-ups! If you lived on the bottom floor you escaped the four or five stair cases that awaited you when you arrived home after a long day at work. But you had to live with the noise and pollution of the street. If you occupied the top floor it was somewhat quieter and a bit cooler. But OMG those stairs! The electrical wiring was usually installed at the beginning of the last century. It was so antiquated it would be tricky to run both a window air conditioner and a refrigerator/freezer at the same time. Make sure you had on hand an adequate supply of fuses. Still, most of us opted for the fridge so the open window leading to the fire escape was our only cooling option during the dog days of summer. Things have changed now, I own my own home far from the city. It's equipped with all the modern amenities and conveniences but, I wouldn't change a thing growing up in that brownstone apartment building. The block parties, the mouthwatering aromas from my neighbor's cooking that lingered in the hallways, the impromptu chit-chats across the courtyard below and of course that fire escape. On any given night, if you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a pretty girl staring aimlessly from her fire escape. Sigh......