Forty Years of Love and Patience.... And Did I Mention Patience?

Congratulations to the Bronx kid, Ralph and his lovely wife Jan on forty years of marriage! Real nice!

Italian Ice Skating

Italian Ice + Ice Skating = Ralph's father putting on the blades and skating a figure eight (or nodo a otto, as his paisans would say). A fine winter's day in Bronx photographer Walter Slattery's backyard. I don't where Ralph is. Either, he's not yet born, he's putting on his skates, or he's home with Spaghetti Grandma stuffing the cheeks with pignoli and cucidati!

Excerpt from "Once a Kid": Thanksgiving Memories from the Bronx

 

Thanksgiving was always a very special time for me. Even as a little boy I was fascinated by this special holiday. Maybe deep down inside it was because my dad was a wholesale butcher in the Bronx market -- a market itself that was surrounded by its own infamy, from Jack's Diner to the cops that were on the take, to the little fellas who took your numbers in the betting racquet along with your money, to the bookies who you would lay down even money on a sure thing and end up on the short end of the stick.

It was a joyful holiday -- off from school for four days with plenty to eat, drink and be merry about! In grade school this holiday meant a closer step to Christmas, the granddaddy of all holidays in my estimation. As a little kid a Thanksgiving play at school, turkey and all the trimmings along with every meat and treat you could imagine. I would even dress-up like an Indian and antagonize not only the pilgrims but anyone else I came in contact, especially family members.

My family was always very special to me growing up in an ethnic Bronx neighborhood and we'd celebrate with a Thanksgiving dinner that would go on for three to four hours at a time. And even then you weren't sure if it was over or not. After feasting it was time to rest your gut and sometimes having to down a few swigs of Brioschi, which was some kind of whop remedy for indigestion and even a bad case of gas. Whether this product did the trick, no one could be positive. I would think of the next day -- a Friday off. No such thing back then as "Black Friday," although it still was the kick-off of Christmas.

It's Almost Thanksgiving!

 

Young Ralph and his brother Jerry start preparations for the Thanksgiving feast. Jerry's got the goose and Ralph's got the can. And the dog is ready to lift the leg in case of a grease fire.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, now and always!

Yesterday was Halloween

That monkey blowing a whistle or eating a Tootsie Roll is our boy, Ralph. It's Halloween in the '50s with his brother Jerry (a zebra, maybe?), Uncle George and Boomba Roast Beef Grandma!

At least I think it's Halloween -- it is, after all, the Fuccillos!

Happy Halloween anyway! And All Saint's Day!

A Bronx Cheer for the Birthday Boy!

Once a kid, always a kid, even when he's an old schnauzer! Happy birthday, Ralphie boy!

The Honeymooners

Ralph, in matching coat and Beetle, poses with his wife, the lovely Jan, as they enjoy their honeymoon.

This is not Italy, but they'd get there one day...