Wednesday, August 8, 2018
My mom didn't have a very good start in life, growing up during World War II during the Battle of Britain. She was emotionally scarred by the Nazi bombs hitting around London. I can remember her telling me how poor her family was, a penny was a huge deal for her, she and her brothers and sisters would chase after the horse drawn coal cart hoping for a piece of coal to drop off, sometimes it would and then there some warmth and a fire in their little West London home that night or morning for awhile. My mom would tell you proudly that she was a British War Bride, She married my Dad and he brought and my brother Michael to the US. It was culture shock to say the least. When I was twelve my Mom and Dad separated, my Dad always without fail supported his wife and children until the day he died. My Mom, to supplement the household income, took on cleaning work in private homes. I remember her coming home dead tired and bitching about the lady she worked for..She said that she was chastised by the woman because there was something under the rim of her "Throne" (toilet bowl) I'll never forget what she said in her cockney accent " I'd like to take her bloody head and stick it in that bowl, because I couldn't see anything". When she was funny and that was a lot, she could really make you laugh. During a telephone conversation with her, reminiscing about our days living in the projects, she asked me if I remembered the white shirts that I needed every Monday for school assembly, I said that I did, she asked me if I knew how much she paid for the shirts? I said that I didn't, she then told me that she paid 'ONE Dollar' at John's Bargain Store. They were the whitest most perfectly ironed and starched shirts in the whole assembly. She was always ready to tell you how proud she was of her children, Michael, Myself and our younger sister Karen. She was proud that we were never in trouble or involved with any kind of drugs, while the project where we lived was rampant with them. There is one other incident that sticks out in my mind, pertaining to how protective she was of her children. At around the age of eight or so, I came home and told Mom that the teacher had pulled my ear because I was talking in class. The next day she was at the school have a little chat with the villain teacher. To describe the teacher, she looked like she had been six feet tall and hit with a pile driver, knocking her down to between 4 to 5 ft. She was a dead ringer for the character from "Throw Momma From The Train". Mom, again in her cockney accent informed her " that if she ever touched her son again, she would be back and drag her around the school by her ear !!".
Mom, I'll never go another day in my life without thinking of you. I will miss seeing you and chatting on the phone, also hearing you ask if I would like a cup of tea,
Small things, but so huge. And thank you for so warmly welcoming my new bride Catherine and her Mother in to our family. They truly love you. One of the happiest days for her was when she married Rocky, in later years, they fussed and mussed, but they truly loved each other and when he passed on she was truly heartbroken. I could go on and on about her generosity to her children in so many ways. I will end this by saying that heaven is even more special, now that she is there. I love you Mom, I miss you Love your son, Steve
