Jerry Torre - The Marble Faun of Grey Gardens: A Memoir of the Beales, the Maysles Brothers, and Jacqueline Kennedy

(Collection of the author)

INTRODUCTION

Sometimes it takes people who are so different from normal for us to understand who we really are.

Albert Maysles

If there is one thing that I believe, and one thing that has guided me these many years, is that life, if you remain open to it, can be an extraordinary adventure. I have known this to be true in every situation that I have come across, and I know it to be true of my good friend Jerry Torre.

When I first met Jerry all those years ago, in that dilapidated mansion on the shore of Long Island, he was taking care of those other two extraordinary characters whom I grew to love so very much, Mrs. Edith Beale and her daughter, Edie. Though in the film Grey Gardens he seems to be just a handyman who was occasionally called upon by the Beales to fix a broken step or a leaky faucet, Jerry was so much more. He was their protector; his concern and love for them and their welfare touched my brother David and I deeply, and as our time together wore on, we realized that Jerry, too, was just as remarkable as the two ladies whose life we were documenting. Here was a boy of sixteennot more than a child, himselflooking out for themcaring for themloving them as if they were his own mother and sister. Indeed, we came to realize, in every aspect but biology, they were.

More than that, as time went on and I got to know Jerry, I realized, too, that he lived by that same rule that my brother and I did. He said yes to life. No matter what challenging situation he found himself in (and believe me, there were plenty at Grey Gardens that would frighten most men twice Jerrys age), he went into the situation fully; working hard and doing the best he could until there was nothing left to be done. When I later got to know Jerry and learned of his astonishing life story, this seemed even more amazing to me. For a child who had every conceivable reason to say no to lifeto throw in the towel of cynicism and resignationJerry always said yes to whatever life had to offer him. And usually with a smile on his face! I know this is the reason that, all these many years later, his life has surpassed even my wildest imaginings. It has truly been an astonishing life he has lived.

I am so happy that he has finally decided to put it all down in his life story, Grey Gardens and all, for the world to see. All those years ago, I remember Edie telling us, in one of her more candid moments, that Jerry is quite an extraordinary character. Finally, with this book, the world will see how right she was.

Albert Maysles

New York City, December 2014

PROLOGUE: NINTH AVENUE

It was years of living in New York City that taught me about change. Neighborhoods that I had walked in, lived in, and grew up in, knowing virtually every street corner and alleyway, would transform seemingly overnight into foreign territory. The Upper West Side, the Bowery, SoHoall daunting places to venture into when I was growing up, were now among New Yorks most thriving and desired addresses. Generation after generation in this city have simply accepted it, adapted, and moved on with their lives. In the end, what choice do we have? But, as I got in my cab one November evening in 2005 and began cruising these familiar streets of Manhattan, I had no idea that another life change was in store. This change, however, would bring me back full circle to a time in my past to which I had long before bid goodbye. It was a moment in time that had been especially tender to me and has always loomed large in my memory. It was a part of my life that, in so many ways, made me the man I am today. Life has a way of taking on its own identity and asserting its plans onto you, changing everything you thought you knew and wanted. If you allow that to happen and simply give yourself over to it, it can not only change your destiny, but it can also take you to places that you never dreamed of in your wildest imagination.

Over the years, I had developed a lifestyle that worked well for me. I had been a New York City cab driver for twenty-five years, and I see now that on some level I chose the job for the freedom it provided me. Working at night in the city appealed to me, as the customers were less demanding and I usually found myself energized by the exciting pulse of Manhattan nightlife. It was my routine to drive through those areas of the city that intrigued me. There was the East Village, the West Village, Midtown, and Hells Kitchen; specifically, the area in the West Forties known as Restaurant Row that was always a good area to cruise for a fare just before and after curtain-time on Broadway. I was an experienced cab driver who knew the industry, knew New York City, and could get along with most customers very easily. That was one of my strengths: an ability to remain calm under very stressful situations and be respectful and courteous to my customers. Given my personal history, you may say I was schooled in the ability to remain calm under stressful situations. God knows, in my lifetime, I had plenty of opportunities to perfect that skill.

The night was well underway, and I had collected enough money by this point in my shift to feel at ease. As the night moved along, business continued to be brisk and I found myself in a very pleasant mood. I cruised the east side of Ninth Avenue and approached the Film Center building near West 43rd Street. As I surveyed the vicinity near the entrance to the building, I noticed my next fare: a young woman with a tripod hailing me to stop. The light had changed, the traffic was very light, and I easily maneuvered my way to the curb. I then popped open the trunk of the cab and stepped out to offer my assistance to this young woman, who seemed delighted to have a helpful driver at her service. She was attractive with shoulder-length brown hair and looked to be in her early thirties. Setting the tripod in the trunk, I returned to the drivers seat, turned on the taxi meter, and looked through the open partition to greet my customer. It has always been my nature to begin a conversation with my customers. It allows the driver to find out the customers destination but also allows the opportunity to make a human connection in a sometimes-inhumane city. It makes the night more interesting, too. For me, it is simple common sense to attempt to converse, and the customer can choose whether they wish to engage or not. This particular customer was very pleasant, and she smiled at me as she gave the address in the West Village where I was to take her.