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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
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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