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Anyway,life was good. Religious events were taking place again at the church. Sometimes Grammy went sometimes Pop went and sometime I got to go along also. Of course religious articles and jewelry were bought by the family to support the missions. I remember one time Grammy bought me a pin. It was a gold basket with pink plastic roses in it and a small gold medal of the Blessed Mother on one petal. I had it for years but as time went by and I made several moves with Mother it was lost. Sure wish I could find one like that again. I wore that pin everyplace.
One Saturday night as Grammy was giving me my bath with a “view” she told me that she was not going to come home after church on Sunday and that Pop would take me to church and take care of me for the rest of the day I asked why I couldn’t go? She said it was for adults only. No Children! Well I didn’t like it. I was close to Pop but even closer to Grammy!
Sunday morning came. I went down to the kitchen and pop was sitting there waiting for me. He got the basin for me to wash and when I was through he told me to dress nice for Mass. I did. We left. It sure felt funny walking down to the church with pop! We went to Mass had Communion and when Mass was over we left. But we didn’t make a right to go home we made a left! OK,he was up to something. No I didn’t ask! We wound up at the Italian Bakery.,a few blocks away. Pop ordered some pastries and a loaf of sliced bread. Now sliced bread was a treat in our house. Grammy baked and sliced our bread with a knife. Off we went again and stopped at the “barber shop” , Pop knocked on the door and the lady left us in . She smiled and said “Good morning ,what have we got here?” Pop said we were there for breakfast! This was not right. Grammy always made my breakfast. We went in and the lady asked what he wanted and he said eggs and bacon. Bacon! No this was not right. He asked if she would give him a plate for the bread and pastries and of course she brought one to us. We sat at the table with all the goodies on the plate drinking our coffee.
The smells from the kitchen were wonderful! Soon the woman came out with our breakfast and when she put the plates down there were fried potatoes! I just looked at pop and he told me to say grace. After we said grace he asked the woman to join us and help herself to the pastries and bread,which she did. That was one good breakfast. After awhile pop put some of the bread and pastries back in the bag and left some on the plate for the woman. He paid her and we left.
Again we weren’t headed for home. By this time it was almost noon . We walked toward Lehigh University and pop smiled. In front of us was the ice cream stand. Painted brown to match the college colors. “What kind of ice cream would you like?” I just smiled and said” coffee please” Pop asked the man for the ice cream and it was hugh.He didn’t order any suspecting I wouldn’t eat the entire cone! Surprise Pop got a few licks and that was it.
Well we started for home and it was a beautiful walk through the campus on a perfect fall day. I had more fun in those few hours than you can imagine.!When we got home I was tired. Pop and I laid down and slept until supper time. We were sitting in the kitchen when there was a knock on the door. It was my cousin Helen. To this day she is my favorite cousin and she is 20yrs my senior.She came in with a hugh bag, and it smelled so good. “Uncle Mike, Nina Mary asked me to bring this to you and our Barbara at dinner time.”. Pop thanked her and she sat down with me on her lap. Pop opened the bag and inside was roast chicken and potatoes and vegatables from their garden and even some sweet treats for me. Pop told her that we had just woken up and would eat later so he put the food on the back of the stove to keep warm. “I thought you two would be starving by now?” Pop just smiled and said we had eaten a large lunch and weren’t hungry yet.
Well no one ever found out about our fun Sunday and whenever Grammy went away we did it again.! Pop was fun to be with and Grammy never found out about the “barber shops” until many years later.
I had some fun growing up and I think I was the luckiest kid in the world!
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