The Comfort of Holding Your Hand Part 3

I am adding  two sections of my book so that I can move on to the real reason I wrote it.  I have to finish these two sections so that all will truly know Sam.  I know it is long but it is worth the wait for the next section of my book.   "Assisting my Mom and Dad, Transfiguring my life.  The beginning of the end."  I hope you enjoy the following sections.

Attempting his Culinary Skills

The Chef of a Lifetime

Spaghetti Dinner

One Sunday, when Mom and Dad were dating, Dad wanted to impress us all with his culinary skills. A spaghetti dinner for a family of five would be wonderful. Dad in his little home prepared homemade sauce, a huge salad, meatballs, and garlic bread. A typical dinner for a Sunday afternoon gathering. But how much spaghetti should he cook?

Sam sent my Jimmy down the road to his sister’s for a pot. Four young kids eat a lot he must of thought, so he made more than imaginable. He cooked spaghetti in a huge restaurant pot that seemed to be enough to feed an Army. Sufficed to say dinner was wonderful. We had leftovers to take home. But after a week of leftovers, even the dog refused to eat any more spaghetti.

Eggs Go Far

Sam’s specialty that everyone remembers him by is his "Eggs go Far". When people to this day talk about Dad, somehow "Eggs go Far" are always brought up. This was a recipe that his mother made up during the depression to help feed their large family. Dad loved to prepare his mother’s specialty. When she had passed they become his. He would take loaves of bread, dice them up, and add a few dozen of eggs. He would then mix his various "secret" ingredients with these. Dad would make a batch of these indescribable delicacies that would feed the neighborhood. They were cooked on a griddle and served with butter and syrup. They were better than pancakes and sure beat French toast.

Sam would make enough to send plates to his nieces and nephews who were still our neighbors. The leftovers were awesome. When I was older and lived on my own, Dad would call and announce his Sunday Brunch plans. I always showed up. One or two filled you up. I would take some home for later. Hot or cold "Eggs go Far" was the best invention ever.

The Chili was Hot

Sam was always in the kitchen cooking something. This time he was preparing a family favorite that Mom usually made, Chili and mashed potatoes.

He was cooking and tasting his meal, adding chili powder to get the seasoning just right. But how much seasoning was enough. When this batch of chili was served it was hot. The mashed potatoes could not even cool it down the effects of the seasoning. Dad had put too much chili powder in it. The spiciness was much hotter than the heat of the chili itself. You could eat it cold, right from the refrigerator, and it still burnt your tongue with all the spices he had added. Dad never was allowed around the chili powder again.

Do Not Add Water

Sam was one who prepared all of his meals made from scratch. Precooked meals and frozen dinners were becoming more and more frequent and popular. Not only in the supermarkets, but also in the home. With busy schedules and the hustle and bustle of teen-agers, dad decided one evening to prepare "Dinty Moore Beef Stew". He had many times prepared condensed soups; but he failed to read the label on the stew. With every can of condensed soup you added one can of water. Dad added his can of water to the ready-to-eat stew. He could not understand why it was so watery. When we all came home we explained it to him. So for dinner instead of buttered bread and stew, we had beef soup.

Memorial Day Cookout

Dad use to "collect" Delmonico steaks on his trips to the supermarket. Picking up two or three steaks from January to May, he would accumulate enough steaks for a Memorial Day cookout. The Friday before Memorial Day he would pull the steaks out of the freezer. He would mix his own marinade, then marinate them all day Sunday for the Monday cookout. We would have family and friends over for this festive event. To eat one of these specially marinated steaks was a delicacy. They were juicy and always grilled to perfection. Dad had sometimes collected enough steaks through out the previous months that we could have two and sometimes we were able to have one the next day for supper.

Sam and I Bake Scones

Dad and I, every few months would ask Mrs. O'Malley for her scone recipe. It was a ritual for us: Ask Mrs. O'Malley for the recipe, go to the store for the ingredients, which we knew by heart, wait for the recipe, get the kitchen ready for our baking.

We had all the ingredients and tools needed to prepare the scones. Flour, rolling pin, bowls, juice glasses, buttermilk, sugar, raisins, etc, etc. We were ready. Mrs. O'Malley would call and I would get the recipe and a few scones she had just made up while writing down the recipe once again for Sam and me.

Dad would take his seat at the table as I did all the work. Dad had a very important job at the end. I was mixing the dough, rolling it out, cutting, baking. All the work and effort from me. Finally a batch was done and Dad could do his job. He was the official "scone taster".

Making the scones just wasn't time for baking. It was time that Dad and I would talk and joke around. It was an unspoken understanding in the home and no one seemed to bother the two of us in the kitchen. Sometimes Mom would be in there cooking or preparing our lunches for the following week. Yet other times she

would be doing her thesis or another school project. Dad and I were on a mission when we baked the scones and no one would interrupt us. It was a wonderful time to talk with Dad and just as enjoyable when Mom was there with us.

Mom would come in after she knew we had completed our last batch. We tried to clean the kitchen the best we could, but every once in a while Mom would come in early and get very upset and ask what we did to her kitchen. One time I remember her kicking Dad and me out because there was flour all over the place and she got upset. She cleaned the mess up herself.

Thinking now, maybe Mom just wanted to do us a favor with all the hard work we put into baking.

The best part besides my time with Dad and Mom was eating the scones. We had them down to a science. Enough were made to freeze and last for weeks. Hot tea and scones while watching "Wheel of Fortune" was the final pay off.

One time after Mr. O'Malley tasted our scones, he said they were better than Mrs. O'Malley's was. This was the utmost complement as Mrs. O'Malley baked the best scones around. I think the complement went to Dad’s head too, after all he supervised the operation.

Dinner Out on the Town

Not only did Dad love to cook, but he also loved to take Mom out to dinner every week and enjoy a fancy meal. Once a month or every so often, Mom and Dad would take us kids out to dinner with them. We never went to McDonald’s or Burger King. We went to a fancy restaurant where everyone had to dress up. The boys were in suits and ties, while the girls had to wear dresses. Dad wanted us all dressed in our "Sunday best" to show us off.

Anything on the menu was ours. We always started with our favorite drink, the Shirley Temple. We drank them like there was no tomorrow. We had cherry juice, a dab of ginger ale and were always loaded up on cherries.

I grew very fond of seafood dining out with Sam. I would order my serf and turf for dinner. If there was turtle soup I would have it before my salad. We all ordered different meals and I loved to experiment on new foods only to find myself ordering the same meal again and again.

Spending Time With the Kids

Whether it is his stepchildren, foster children, nieces, nephews and especially his grandchildren, Dad gave it his all. He wanted to be a dad and he made sure of it. Sam loved all of his children and grandchildren.

My Saturdays With Sam

Even before Mom and Sam were married he would come over and pick me up on Saturday morning to run errands with him. Dad was in a band and setting up his drums for a Saturday night show was something we did together. He would ask if I wanted to bring some one with us and often times we brought one of my brothers or sisters, maybe even a friend. Sometimes there were a bunch of us.

My favorite time was when Sam and I went out alone on Saturdays together. We would go to his favorite restaurant and have lunch. This is where he introduced me to turtle soup. We would sit around and I would play video games and drink those Shirley Temples for an hour or so.

We would then go to the club and set up his drums. This was a big deal for me as I was helping him do something that he loved. I never heard Sam’s band play. I wish I would have, but I heard him play and sing so I can only imagine how good this band was.

When we were done setting up I would shoot pool or boccie with Sam. When there were other kids with us, I would show them around the club and show them what I did when I was there alone with Sam. We always enjoyed our Saturday afternoons. We got home in time for him to get ready to pick up Mom and get back to the club for his night to perform.

"Saturday Night Live"

On Friday and Saturday Mom and Dad would go out to dinner and dancing often times meeting up with friends. They usually came home late into the night, early in the morning.

One night Mom and Dad came home as we were watching Saturday Night Live. They walked in when Eddie Murphy was doing his Mr. Robinson skit. It was suppose to be similar to Mr. Rodgers neighborhood but very profane. Eddie had just asked the question "can you say ‘bitch’? Now go say it to your mom" after a short pause he asked "did your mom slap you in the face? Good you, said it right"

I thought we would never be allowed to watch SNL again after that. In those days cursing was not allowed on television. It was very offensive. To all of our surprises, Mom and Dad made it an effort to be home by 11:30 to watch it with us from that point on.

Sports

Football

Jimmy was not able to play football but he was a "water boy". People do not realize how vital a water boy is to any team. Nothing could keep Mom or Dad away from the games. Yes, they had fun watching the sport, but when their son ran out on the field with his water bottles, they would applaud and yell him for doing his job so well.

Friday night football at the local field brought all the neighbors together. Living in a small town everyone knew each other. Only one problem would occur at these events. Our rival team was the team of Sam’s hometown. He would of course sit with our family at the games, but he would cheer for his hometown and boo ours. I think that the people in the stands booed and hissed at Sam more than they did the rival team. I think this rivalry made the games more enjoyable and fun.

Softball

My sisters and I played softball. It was unusual for girls to participate in sports in the '70's, but our town decided we need to have an athletic association for the girls. We tried out for softball and each of us was on separate teams. I don't remember Lucille playing on my team or not, but I do remember Grace being the pitcher for her team. She was an awesome player.

We did not want Mom and Dad at our games, as they would make us nervous. But they were always there, hiding, watching to see us play. I don't know how they cheered for winning teams when we played against each other. I suppose they just cheered that we did well ourselves.

Dad taught me all about catching. Everyday he would practice with me on the side of the house. My neighbor was my coach and saw us practicing. She made me the team's catcher.

Dad would pitch overhand and underhand so that I would develop my catch. Often times my hand would turn beet red and hurt real bad because he would throw the ball so hard. It was more difficult to catch with a glove than a mitt. When I went to softball practice and games I had full uniform, I was then able to then excel in my catching ability behind the plate.

People think they put you on for catcher because it was an easy position. Being catcher is a difficult position. When I did not play up to my standard they would put me in left field where I accelerated. I could catch just about any ball that came my way. I wasn't the best batter, but when it came to defense I was a darn good out fielder and had a very strong arm. This is needed for both outfield and catcher

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The Grandchildren

Party Time

All the grandkids knew about party time. It was either a Friday or Saturday night. Mom and Dad would have the kids for one overnight and they would proceed to entertain them.

There was a bar in the game room and Dad sat behind the bar serving the kids whatever their hearts desired. Some times they would sit on the bar as they played mouth organs together. Kandy would always comb her Pappy's hair. All the kids just were having a wonderful time.

The singing and dancing would happen. The stereo played "The Wheels on the Bus" while all the kids sat on bar stools singing and driving their buses through the motions of the song.

All the kids loved party time. Angel was there crawling around the bar, playing with ice cubes. Mamma and Pappy gave her first ice cream cone at party time. Angel was the last of the grandchildren to enjoy "party time".

The kids could do what ever they wanted in Mom and Dad’s game room. Not like us kids, there were rules. Grandchildren didn't have these rules. Once the girls were rocking in Pappy’s lazy-boy and it ended up on its back with the girls looking straight up like they were in a rocket ship.

I remember party time; I spent a lot of them with the kids when I lived at home while pregnant and the following year. It was fun and the kids really got to know their grandparents and have a blast. The calendar that hangs behind the bar is on June 1997, the last time we had party time.

Power Rangers VS Benny Hill

Dee was in kindergarten and I would pick him up at lunchtime. After lunch he and Dad would watch their shows. The local news, "The Price is Right", and then the "Power Rangers". Dad really didn't like the "Power Rangers" but since Dee did, he watched with him. I would go to pick up Butch from school and come home only to see that after the "Power Rangers", Dee and Sam were watching "Benny Hill". I would get upset saying that the show was inappropriate for a five-year old. Dad would always say he doesn't understand. I understood this, but Dad just loved Benny Hill and his perversion.

Just recently I questioned Dee about his watching Benny Hill with pappy and he said, "that is probably why I am so goofy."

Tea Time

While living with Mom and Dad, we fell into their daily routine. Every evening at seven o’clock Mom would go to the kitchen for snacks. Dad would watch the daily lottery as Mom prepared tea. She would be done by the time "Wheel of Fortune" was still on its first round. Mom would bring down the tea and a bag of various cookies to have as a snack. Butch and Dee would have their tea and cookies along with us. Of course the tea was watered down to cool it off.

Every now and again we would be lucky to switch from cookies and have scones that were made from Mrs. O'Malley's receipt or some pizzelles that Mrs. Russo would send home with me from one of our visits. We never had any problems when it was time for the boys to go to bed each night, as it seemed this snack filled their bellies enough for them to go to sleep.

They Left Angel on the Table

One afternoon, I was at the bus stop picking up Butch. Dad kept Dee with him as he usually did. Since the time Angel was born he would watch her also. It was a very hot day in May. When Butch and I got back to the house, Dee and Dad were in the swimming pool.

"Where is Angel?’ I questioned.

"Leave her alone. She is sleeping.", said Dad.

Seeing that he was in the pool with no prosthetic and was using crutches, I thought where could he have put a four-week-old without carrying her? Would he have Dee move such a small baby to her playpen? I don't know. I went into the house to check on her and to my surprise she was in her baby seat strapped in and fast asleep. The thing that disturbed me is she was on the kitchen table and they were outside and could not hear her.

All the chairs were pushed in around her and there she was right in the middle. She looked so peaceful as she slept, but who would have heard her if she fussed.

When Mom came home from work I told her what Dad had done. She asked only if Angel was OK, so I told her yes. Mom said "Fine then." She lit a cigarette and sat down in the pool too cool off. She didn't even go into the house to change from her work clothes.

So there was everyone in the pool and I am sitting at the kitchen table watching my Angel still sleeping.