MEMORIES OF LITTLY ITALY (continued)
                    Situation Rituals
     All family events were ensconced with certain conditions that always took place. Where the family attended the church bull and oyster roast there always ensured the hidden carryout. Purses were filled with what couldn't be eaten in the present, with certainly an eye to future consumption. The edibles were wrapped carefully in napkins or other satisfactory materials and placed in the aforementioned conveyance item with forced smiles and furtive glanced in case anyone was watching, either human or divine. No matter which, the deed would be done.Where anniversary or weddings took place the solo performance would be entrusted to my uncle (mother's brother) Frank Votta. After consuming the required containers of beer, he would take title to the microphone (to the dread of the band) and deliver the three standard renditions in his repertoire:"Darktown Strutters Ball", "0 You Beautiful Doll", and "That Old Gang of Mine'. Though we all knew what was coming, we enjoyed his performance and looked forward to it. Sort of like when you're hungry and look forward to the dinner that's coming.
      When you went to what we called Pimlico on Sundays, inhabited by Aunt "Feeny" short for Josephine, Aunt Mary and Uncle Frank Cariosti and Aunt Reba, You were told the following: "Don't touch the television channel or try in any way to see what you wanted to watch (by Uncle Danny).Other relatives would also come usually and the small change poker game would take place. Uncle John usually would raise while bluffing and irritate some of the other relatives (John Duggan) and displeasure would show its face. Uncle Frank Carioti often took a long time to decide whether to call or drop. My father would say "What the hell you gonna do Frank7'. Frank C. still played the same way Sunday after Sunday.
      After games were concluded and dinner served, ice cream was purchased at the comer drug store and served in abundance. Thus, I suffered the fate of many before me and to this day carry the stigma of vanilla on my breath.Sunday dinner was our treat highlight of the week. Meatballs were consumed as they were fried never to know the comfortable blanket of being coated with the delicious meat sauce. Those that were placed there eventually met the same fate of their denied brothers.

          
          (Frank and Sussanah Votta)

      Each in their own way had a wonderful taste. Sodas were served only on Sunday. Gran Susie would have pale dry ginger ale and we children would have orange soda. One bottle of each (about the size of 66 oz bottles of today) would be purchased at Phillips Brothers, who were located on Fleet St. about three blocks away from home. The ginger ale was always left over and the orange depleted with no problem. During the week a ghost often came and drank the ginger ale before Susie got to it.
     Grammar school at St. Leo's required daily attendance at Mass. The effort to avoid this requirement always failed. My brother and I would leave home in time for Mass and make our customary stop at the local confectionery store. The Catholic Church, in the guise of my mother, would also customarily visit the store and expand our ears to new lengths. Mass was thus accomplished.
     Other miscellaneous duties included delivering banana skins to Rosie Koon, three doors away, who placed them on her corns as a curative. Getting the pail (often) from Mrs. Mezzanotte and going down the street to Lamm's bar and having it filled with beer and returning it to her. I was about twelve and never had to show ID. Times change but never the weather.I end here for now! Ciao!

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