Patricia Perlman: The Woman, the Myth, the Legend.
April 23rd, 2025
Writer: Allie Perlman
Editor: Alexa Kessler
Patricia Perlman, lovingly referred to as “Patty Girl” or just “Pat”, is my grandmother and one of the best people I have ever met. Pat is a bit of a neighborhood legend in Brooklyn Heights. At 80 years old, my grandmother remains a workhorse and refuses to retire. Pat is a landlord and beloved by her tenants. My grandmother has an incredible light to her, which is infectious. It is truly hard to capture the spirit of my grandmother, but there are collections of stories I always tell to people before they meet her.
One morning at 5 am, my dad received a text from Patty Girl saying, “Are pigeons smart?” with no other context. My grandmother is a native New Yorker with a thick Brooklyn accent, so you have to imagine that in her voice, smart sounded more like smaaat. My dad went to visit Pat that day, and later, he came home shaking his head and hysterically laughing. My family was gathered around the dinner table, eager to hear what the possible context was for “Are pigeons smart?”. My dad was near tears trying to get the story out. Apparently, some pigeons had decided to hang out on one of the buildings that Pat managed. My grandmother was reluctant to put up spikes and was searching for an alternative solution. Somehow, Pat came to the idea that she should try and shoot the pigeons with a water gun, so she was wondering about the intelligence of the pigeons because she wanted to know if they would remember her spraying them with water and not return. This story will always bring a smile to my face because all that comes to mind is what her neighbors might have thought when they saw an 80-year-old woman dressed in a bathrobe, equipped with a water gun.
I love this story for many reasons, not just because it's hilarious. This story encapsulates how special and unique a woman my grandmother is. Pat is one of the kindest people I know, and she is constantly helping others. My grandmother did not want to take the easy route of putting up the spikes because she did not want to harm the pigeons. However, my grandmother was still dedicated to helping her tenants and took the time to come up with an interesting solution. Patty Girl might never fully make sense to some people, but I know everything she does is fueled by genuine goodness, and I am so privileged to have her as my grandmother.
Thank you, Grandma Pat, for bringing me joy and much-needed laughter. I love you.
