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Fresh Air Fund

The Makings of FamilyFor Robert Dallas, leaving his South Bronx apartment during the summer of 1980 for a Fresh Air Fund vacation in Queensbury, NY, revealed surprises. The tight-knit, Lake George-area community was a big change for Robert. Even the sound of chirping crickets was completely foreign to him.

But the biggest shock for Robert, then just 6 years old, was seeing his host family, Margaret and David Manny and their son, Lucas, 4, working in the yard. "I had never in my life seen a lawn mower," he recalls. "So when 'D' [David] came out riding this huge contraption, I looked at Lucas like 'Oh my God! What is that? A car? A truck?' I think Lucas could sense that I was freaked out."

The Fresh Air Fund brought the two new buddies together, but their mutual affection cemented a close and enduring friendship. Robert's two-week summer stays were soon supplemented by one-week Christmas vacations and occasional spring breaks. More than 25 years later, Robert and Lucas, now both New York City dwellers, say their bond has all the makings of a family. Lucas, 30, is godfather to Robert's 20-month-old son, Miles, who recently enjoyed his first Easter egg hunt at the Mannys' Queensbury home. Like any doting family member, he speaks of Miles in superlatives. "He really is the smartest kid," Lucas says KD 6 Shoes Sale Online. "If I don't see him for a couple of months, it's amazing how much new stuff he's learned." Along with Robert's wife, Kelli, and Lucas' fianc Sara, the childhood pals also double date once a month or so. Robert will be Lucas' best man for his wedding in 2008.

"We're family," says 32-year-old Robert, who operates and owns World NYC, an East Village boutique. "When you're family, it's not like you try to stay connected. You just are."Lucas says Robert was the big brother he never had. Anything he said or did was imbued with a mystery and sophistication that drew Lucas to him Nike KD 7 For Sale. "Chronologically, we were just two years apart," says Lucas, a marketing and sales professional in Manhattan. "But he was so worldly in my eyes. I remember him telling me about the subway and me saying, 'You mean you ride underground to get where you want to go?' To me, he was the coolest being ever."

Robert says he was unaware of the cool vibe he gave off. He just remembers feeling safe with Lucas, "in that way that builds a friendship." The Mannys often planned outings, such as fishing and camping trips, drive-in movies and amusement parks all of which he enjoyed Nike Kobe 9 Elite Officially Unveiled. Still, the downtime spent hanging on the swing set or talking under the stars was just as memorable. As Lucas says, "We shared a lot with each other; there was an unspoken trust there from early on. We could be doing anything, and it would be fun."

Only now can Robert and Lucas see their relationship as a living, breathing cultural exchange program. Neither was very conscious of their differences at the time. Lucas, the eldest of three Manny siblings, welcomed Robert as a live-in playmate and didn't really see race until others pointed it out. He took pride in the fact that Robert was his friend, impressing the other cul-de-sac children with slang like "fresh" and "bad" (which he had to explain meant "good") and sporting Air Jordan sneakers before the commercials were even seen. The Mannys' Queensbury neighborhood is where Robert first heard the words "awesome" and "wicked."

"I still use them," he says.

"In fact, I don't think there's anything from the Mannys, from Lucas to 'D' who's been the best father model I could have that isn't deep inside me to this day."