To another wake last nite. Old neighbourhood lady died on Monday. She was the mom of Sister.3's closest frenz, and someone we all grew up with. Last time I saw her was @ St. Bede's trivia nite in Feb- she seemed great. But our time does come.
I was in a non social mood, which is the exact opposite mood one should be in @ a funeral. Lots of familier faces came upto say hello - I was too anti social to say hello to anyone. They kept coming - it was an old neighbourhood deal this wake - and since I have a famous name, lots came to say hello. About that 'famous' name: my name is as famous as every other in the hood to those in ther hood -and since I am of the hood, the wake consisted of lots of people coming up and saying hello.
I felt bad. I was in that mood, and I did as I always do - hid behind women. In this case it was my sisters, who would say "And this is Virgil" , and my mom. But still, I feel I came off as a louse. Everyone was happy to see the old faces, even in this sad context -and it would have been nice to be more sociable. Again the social stigma of being a sub teacher living @ home w/ no children. Hard being me many times. Bcd and LFP were there earlier. If I'a known I would have gone then and allowed THEM to speak for me. I'm such a loser.
Nice seeing my Mom get so much love. Many old timers there, and since Mom was the slowest mover in the whole crowd, they came over to say hello.
The operative word on the deceased: nicest women who ever lived. My sisters were telling stories how even those of ruggedly wilde reputation were not judged in that house. My favourite memories of the house were the After Midnite Mass (Xmas) Parties they threw every year. After midnite mass, which back then was always packed w/ layers of standees in the aisles, the next stop after the rousing xmas tunes they ended the mass with, was a walk one block north from St. Rita up Fairfield. The party was always packed, lots of food and drink. For many, to get to go to this party was a rite of passage. I was always too young to go to the mass and the party, but one year ( 7th?? 8th ?? 9th ??) I just went (I'm pretty sure it was 8th - that fall, for the first time ever, I was allowed out w/out a curfew on weekends. We had football practice on the nite before a game w/out pads @ a local grammer schools playlot. Immediately after practice-Fall of 1979 - there would be a gang of 30 of us wandering thre neighbourhood. Never again did my parents tell me to be back @ such and such a time). I went then for the longest time, although these parties died out as the neighbourhood changed and people started having different centers of importance.
But, for a last time, we were gatherered @ Ms. B's behalf, being glad to see one another- even me -and to celebrate. What is a wake except for a celebration?
I was in a non social mood, which is the exact opposite mood one should be in @ a funeral. Lots of familier faces came upto say hello - I was too anti social to say hello to anyone. They kept coming - it was an old neighbourhood deal this wake - and since I have a famous name, lots came to say hello. About that 'famous' name: my name is as famous as every other in the hood to those in ther hood -and since I am of the hood, the wake consisted of lots of people coming up and saying hello.
I felt bad. I was in that mood, and I did as I always do - hid behind women. In this case it was my sisters, who would say "And this is Virgil" , and my mom. But still, I feel I came off as a louse. Everyone was happy to see the old faces, even in this sad context -and it would have been nice to be more sociable. Again the social stigma of being a sub teacher living @ home w/ no children. Hard being me many times. Bcd and LFP were there earlier. If I'a known I would have gone then and allowed THEM to speak for me. I'm such a loser.
Nice seeing my Mom get so much love. Many old timers there, and since Mom was the slowest mover in the whole crowd, they came over to say hello.
The operative word on the deceased: nicest women who ever lived. My sisters were telling stories how even those of ruggedly wilde reputation were not judged in that house. My favourite memories of the house were the After Midnite Mass (Xmas) Parties they threw every year. After midnite mass, which back then was always packed w/ layers of standees in the aisles, the next stop after the rousing xmas tunes they ended the mass with, was a walk one block north from St. Rita up Fairfield. The party was always packed, lots of food and drink. For many, to get to go to this party was a rite of passage. I was always too young to go to the mass and the party, but one year ( 7th?? 8th ?? 9th ??) I just went (I'm pretty sure it was 8th - that fall, for the first time ever, I was allowed out w/out a curfew on weekends. We had football practice on the nite before a game w/out pads @ a local grammer schools playlot. Immediately after practice-Fall of 1979 - there would be a gang of 30 of us wandering thre neighbourhood. Never again did my parents tell me to be back @ such and such a time). I went then for the longest time, although these parties died out as the neighbourhood changed and people started having different centers of importance.
But, for a last time, we were gatherered @ Ms. B's behalf, being glad to see one another- even me -and to celebrate. What is a wake except for a celebration?
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