Standing majestically
in the middle of New York Harbor is Lady Liberty, a torch held high in her
hand, a beacon of light to all who came to these shores so many years ago and
populated this great country and in particular New York City.
As the immigrants
from Italy like Grandpa Giuseppe Del Bloggolo looked out over the railing of
his ship entering the harbor, saw these words:
“Give
me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
Author: Emma Lazarus
Grandpa didn’t understand a word that was written. But if he
were able to read them, he would have taken exception to “The wretched refuse of your teeming shore” and
punched someone in the mouth, maybe Emma herself!
Once ashore, grandpa went straight to the ‘A’ train to Brooklyn,
found my grandmother, married her, opened a fruit and vegetable store and had
three kids, one of which was the oldest, my dad. Grandpa was a doer, he was
100% American Immigrant, and proud of it. Aside from all that, he joined the
army and fought in the; ‘Great War’, “the war to end all wars”, except for the
one he was constantly having with grandma Frances.
 |
| Grandpa Joe |
Grandpa was so patriotic that he joined other Americans in
getting the Spanish influenza, a malady that affected millions worldwide too.
As he lay in the hospital, he decided he had enough of it, climbed out of bed
and jumped out the window into a snow bank, and tried to get home to see his
kids, missing them and the warm fuzzy feeling of fighting with Grandma. He died
of pneumonia!
Dad was a dreamer, a lot like I am, and probably would have
come to this country if he weren’t already in it. Dad always had an idea, a
plan to get rich quick and a million of these ideas, although practical in use,
were not going anywhere. One of them was a series of lights, that ran across
the back of a car, the more lights on: the faster you are going. This would aid
the police in telling the speedsters from the crawlers.
My parents met at a party/dance and married when Mom danced
with Dad and the rest is history.
Tomorrow: Grandpa and Dad, can I be far behind?
5 comments:
That is an awesome picture.
Did I miss something? You have my "Frankie Avalon Hair" picture labeled as Grandpa Joe. Are you off your meds again?
Well actually Jim, I don't have a picture of Grandpa Joe, and I know you wouldn't want me to pay for a stock photo...
In that case, I am happy to sit in for Grandpa.
So nice to trace family history! But I have to wonder if grandpa joe had that warm and fuzzy and funny way about him, as you do.......ya gotta wonder!! They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, so I'm sure he was a wonderful man! :-)) (No comment on the hair! LOL!!)
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