Paul, I saw you did a page for Mommy.Yes, Carol inspired it.
Tell her Thank you. We all like it.
By "We" who do you mean?
Everybody up here, especially Father Frank.
The most recent arrival. When did he die?
Now I remember: less than two years ago.
What a party that was. Not only
Nunna and Minnie cooked
but so did Julia Childs.
Really.
I look so goddam rollie-pollie.
You are waving to me,
every time I look at it.
Sorry, Sister dear,
but I love it.
And I am really impressed
about the top image:
how humble it was
for you to crop yourself
out of the picture.
It was one of those rare moments
when I was humble despite
the absence of a bullhorn.
I liked the original caption*
you had for this cameo
picture of me in
Nunna's yard.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.
What's so funny?
Hearing you call your
paternal grandmother
Nunna.
That's right. We both
thought "Nunna and Nanootz"
meant Mr. and Mrs. Knucklehead.
Sure, it was your Confirmation.
Why did you crop out Judy?
I am protecting her identity.
She is not an "Oliverio 2.0"
Father Frank claims you
got that phrase from him.
He called Daddy and Aunt Kay,
long after they died.
Don't believe everything
that priest says. I came up
with it on my own.
The dead Oliverios
seemed to be the only ones
who truly loved me.
It started with a picture
of Aunt Kay.
Did you know Aunt Kay
and Aunt Jean are
inseparable?
It doesn't surprise me.
My father's sister
and my mother's sister
were both the most vital
forces of their families.
The time you flew 6000 miles
and drove Kay and Esther
60 miles to Rocky Point
to see Jean and Betty...
What about it?
Both your mother and father cried that day.
I'm honored. They cried but what about you.
I laughed but louder than usual.
EVERYTHING you do makes me laugh.
Nothing can make me happier
than to hear you say that, Sister.
But does that include the stuff I say
that really pisses off Carol?
Of course it does but it makes
Father Frank roll over laughing.
Why?
Because it means she is gonna ultimately
learn what it truly means to be with an Oliverio.
I will be sure to tell her that.
Sorry, Brother, but I gotta go. Kiss Carol for me and for Eleanor and for Stanley.
Footnotes
The top two images are from Rocky Point and the middle image is from Cedarhurst.
The bottom two images are both from Whitestone.
The former was taken in the backyard and is the only surviving
image of myself with BOTH sisters.
The full image is posted on the absolute bottom
of every GoodFather of Math page.
The latter is from the front yard with the original surviving
snapshot being no bigger than what you see here
but, in 2004, "Kinko's" both enlarged
and colorized it.
Then I had it framed.
It is mounted on the wall, within inches of this desk.
The next Linda page is here.
The equivalent of "Just the Two of Us: Sam" is there.
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