PETER, PETER, PETER!

One of my favorite pastimes is to have lunch with old friends from the days of old. There a few lunch groups that I select from, mostly PCH, Bellport High School Class of 1909 and even relatives and friends.

One of the lunches is an old photographer friend named Pete San Chirico, who spends his retirement time shooting polo matches, but NO weddings and making interesting friends. When I was working at PCH Peter was at the time a freelance photographer that we employed. His professional lineage dates back to Doubleday Books and we both know the same people since, like him, came over to PCH from Doubleday.

Actually, Peter ate the whole thing!

Peter has an enthusiasm for life that exceeds anyone's. He is a character that cannot be described without illustrations. Once when a mutual friend passed away I went to his memorial service at St. Lawrence the Martyr Church in Sayville. As I stood waiting for the service to begin in the church parking lot with a few associates when who pulls up into the parking lot with his then 90 something-year old mother but Peter. To show his enthusiasm for his old friends with Mamma in the front seat, he flipped us the bird! Mamma and Jesus both got a first-hand view of Peter’s sense of humor. Of course, we all backed away to ensure none of us would be hit with lightning.

Yesterday I had lunch with Peter as I do as often as possible and we had our usual good time. Then the trouble started. Having ordered a Turkey Club it came in short order but as I bit into it I noticed something strange, no Swiss cheese! Dumbfounded I lay in wait for the waitress to come by and ask if everything was all right.

“How come there is no Swiss cheese in my club sandwich?” I asked.

Looking surprised she repeated the question back to me then informed me that I had to ask for it!

“Ask for Swiss cheese on my Turkey club!”

“Yes. You ALWAYS ask for it anywhere around here.”

“I’m from Holbrook, and we DON” T ask for Swiss cheese when ordering a Turkey Club! In fact, when people are just passing through Holbrook the town passes out Swiss cheese so they don’t leave hungry”

Knowing her cook made an omission we laughed at her pathetic attempt to cover her ass. Meanwhile, Peter was calling her Matilda and she was answering him. We now had a new friend as we kidded her and she asked questions about me and I related facts about my life. As we are leaving, Peter goes to take care of the bill as I head to the men’s room. When returning to say goodbye to Peter I see him sitting in a booth with Matilda, who informs that one, her name is Maryann, and that two, she has a cousin named Anthony Del Broccolo!