Take me to God

My world changed drastically. I was no longer a little girl with bows, toys and dolls. My siblings were a nightmare. My friends at school were only to whisper about us. We were unwelcome into their homes. A Society was to recognize this as disgraceful, and were terrified. Rarely was there a murder in those days. The closeness of family ties was just that. So, we were the overnight outcasts. I remember hearing an old uncle at the funeral quietly gossiping with neighbors in front of the casket. He said, "How can she cry over him like that, He ran around all the time on her". Not a care that I was sitting right next to him . I ran to tell my mom what he said. Of course, I was lying! He said so!

The righteousness of the chosen in a society that can strangle the life out of you. Thankfully, we had Grandma and Grandpa. They were immigrants from Italy. And Grampa would tell us stories of his life back in the old country. He had a sheep farm and dreamed of coming to America. He told of how long it took to arrive here on the boat. A child born on the boat after what was almost a year on board. Then docking at Ellis Island and being detained for almost six months. Disease control, small pox, innoculations But most of all a pride that someone was going to pick them up as their sponsors in America. Times have certainly changed. And they were humble and grateful for the hopes of their future in a land that promised so many opportunities.

I loved my grandparents, they were so cuddly. Gramps had a wide moustache, almost white and he would sort of spit on the ends of it to give the appearance of two points in an antennea effect. Grandma loved to cook you could smell her sauce and meatballs throughout the neighborhood. She used to wear an apron all the time. And in the little pocket of it, there would be pieces of candy for us. She would say "Come see whats in this pocket" And with a quick smile I would rush over to her in hopes of getting only the red ones! And the times when I would cry I would lay my head on grandma's cushey lap and she would pat my back and whisper, "I know little suzy, taint fair, taint fair"