Friday, March 20, 2020
UNCLE JOE !
HE WAS A FUN GUY, HE WAS A GREAT GUY. HIS SMILE WAS ONE THAT IMMEDIATELY MADE YOU COMFORTABLE AND AT EASE. ALSO, BEING AN ARDENT NEW YORK GIANTS BASEBALL FAN; I REMEMBER WATCHING WILLIE MAYS ON AN OLD BLACK AND WHITE IN HIS AND AUNT BETTY'S FIRST APT. WHAT A CUTE PLACE WITH A YARD; AS I REMEMBER.
UNCLE JOE'S PASSING THE DAY BEFORE ST. JOSEPH'S DAY WAS ALMOST FITTING . HE LOVED THE PASTRY THAT CAME WITH THAT DAY. AFTER MY FATHER PASSED AWAY I PICKED UP SVINGE AS IT IS CALLED, DROPPED BY THE LA ROSA HOME, ON HENRY ST. TO DELIVER THIS WONDERFUL PASTRY BEFORE GOING BACK TO CONNECTICUT. HE ATE THEM ALL, SMILING AS HE DID.
ANOTHER WONDERFUL MEMORY: WHEN I WAS TWELVE HE, MY FATHER, UNCLE TOM AND ME WOULD TAKE OFF ON SATURDAY MORNINGS FOR BOSTON TO WATCH MY BROTHER GEORGE PLAY FOOTBALL. BACK AND FORTH IN ONE DAY WITH UNCLE JOE AND I WATCHING FOR STATE TROOPERS ALL THE WAY UP AND ALL THE WAY BACK . UNCLE TOME HAD A HEAVY FOOT; AS WE USE TO SAY. IT WAS A BLACK AND WHITE PONTIAC AS I REMEMBER. UNCLE JOE WOULD OCCASIONALLY LOOK AT ME AS WE SPED ALONG AND LAUGH. FUNNY GUY!. HE MADE IT A POINT TO SEE ME PLAY IN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL . HE GAVE ME MY FIRST AND ONLY BASEBALL GLOVE AS HE WALKED THRU THE DOOR AFTER WORK. IT WAS STILL WRAPPED IN PLASTIC IT APPARENTLY FELL OUT OF A TRUCK BUT HE SMILED AFTER SAYING THAT AND EVERYTHING WAS GREAT, PLUS I HAD A BASEBALL GLOVE OF MY OWN. HE WAS A CARPENTER WHO I`D OCCASIONALLY HELP TO CARRY HIS HAND MADE KITCHEN CABINETS . I REMEMBER HIS SISTER SADIE ON UNION ST ACROSS FROM GRANDMAS BUILDING; WHO`D WAVE TO ME AS I`D WALK BY,. I REMEMBER THE NAME CHUBBY ALTHOUGH I NEVER MET HIM. THERE WAS ALSO O' BRINE, NEVER MET HIM EITHER. . ONCE UNCLE JOE LENT HIS MY BROTHER GEORGE HIS CAR TO GO SKIING. IT BLEW UP . HE LAUGHED. THERE`S SO MUCH MORE BUT ONE THING I`LL NEVER FORGET IS HIM. GREAT GUY, GREAT HUSBAND, GREAT FATHER ,GREAT HUSBAND, AND ONE HELLUVA UNCLE.
PHILIP VAN COTT.
