It began as the GODFATHER OF MATH, evolved into the GOODFATHER OF MATH. Now this. Go figure...

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The kind of humor I like is the thing that makes me laugh for five seconds and think for ten minutes = G. CARLIN...Stain glass, engraved glass, frosted glass
–give me plain glass = JOHN FOWLES ... Music is the mathematics of the gods=PYTHAGORAS ... Nothing is more fluid than language = R. L. SWIHART
I cannot live without the oxygen of laughter = DAWN POWELL ... !!! ... But laughter cannot survive without the hydrogen of gravitas = PAUL OLIVERIO
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Monday, October 4, 2021

Uncle Paul, Aunt Pauline, Kurt Vonnegut, And The Non-Begonias

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This photograph appears
on the back cover
of Mr. Vonnegut's
first post-humous
book
 
 
The title story of 
inspired the poem
on the previous page
 
In this picture,
the sockless author
is flanked by 
 
But this KV-lover
must be forgiven
for referring to
hydrangeas as  "begonias" 
because of
the smartest members
of my Grandparents' generation:
 
Paul and Pauline NUNZIO
sold their Italian 
culinary concoctions
at their very successful restaurant
somewhere in Manhattan
 •  
Pauline
was the sister of
my maternal Grandmother
 
Sam and Grace Oliverio
visited the retaurant
on a few occasions
but
—wisely—
never brought their children

 
However,
 as a full family,
we visited
Uncle Paul and Aunt Pauline
 at their Rocky Point 
summer home
 frequently
 
Their driveway
was flanked by a beautiful bed
of hydrangeas 
But
they lived on 
Begonia Road
 
Between the ages 
of five and fifteen,
I feasted often on 
Aunt Pauline and Uncle Paul's
heavenly home-made 
anti-pasta and pasta
 
For each feast,
somewhere between
ten and fifteen relatives
gathered on Begonia Road
for that Sunday summer
celebration

I also remember
the week in Whitestone when
Sam and Grace Oliverio
went to a ski lodge
and 
Paul and Pauline Nunzio
"baby-sat" for
my two sisters and me
 
It was the first time
any of the three children
tasted "home-made pizza"
and we universally agreed
—to this day—
it was the best home-made pizza
any of the three Oliverio children
had ever eaten

As a qualified Idiot Panelist,
it was a rarity that
my sisters and me
agreed on anything
• 
  
Thank you, Mr. Vonnegut
for inspiring both
and this wonderful memory
of  Uncle Paul and Aunt Pauline
and Begonia Road
 
  
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2 comments:

  1. Too bad you didn't include images of Uncle Paul and Aunt Pauline

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nor did I include images of Begonia Road,
      which I last saw in 1981,
      the year I left Rocky Point

      Many images of Begonia Road
      are available from the internet
      but they are all from Planet Zillow

      However, The grandson of the Nunzios
      is alive and well and I am certain
      he would have may pictures to share.

      He was extremely close with my mother
      but I want to believe he is too busy
      running his businee to return
      my repeated phone calls

      He is the owner of Dangerfield's
      the fabled comedy club in NYC

      Delete