When I tell people I live in Worcester
I sometimes get a knowing look of sympathy as if that is something to be
tolerated instead of enjoyed. I can understand because I would probably have
done the same thing just a few years ago. Worcester, however, grows on you and
I truly enjoy living here, except when I have to deal with the governing forces
but that is another story. Worcester is in the midst of re-inventing itself and
that is nowhere more apparent than the downtown area near city hall.
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| The Mafia Out and About in Worcester |
The Neighborhood Mafiosos both grew up
in Worcester and recall the halcyon days of their youth when the downtown area
was a true destination of lively and safe entertainment. The Worcester I first
encountered back in 2005 was a lot dingier and seemed to be failing, especially
around the center. That’s all changed and it began with the tearing down of a
vacant downtown mall that blocked a number of streets. We joined the Mafiosos
and other members of the Panamanian Mafia at a downtown restaurant from dinner.
We sat outside on a glorious summer night and watched Worcester walk by on a
street that was re-created once the mall was gone. It was the usual lively
gathering of this bunch which was only mitigated by the lack of adult beverages
for this writer, being a school night and all. We were only a short walk from
the park behind city hall and wandered over there after dinner in search of
dessert. While that failed I did spot a newly opened beer garden directly
across the street, so score!.
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| Wife and her Mother with a New Friend |
It was fun walk although we were
almost run down while crossing Franklin Street. One of my buses stopped for us
when we in the cross walk but some yahoo came screaming up beside him and had
to slam on his brakes at the last minute. My employee, driving the bus, looked
shocked and mildly amused. My Favorite Panamanian, somehow ended up with a parrot
on her shoulder (insert joke here) when our dessert hunt failed. The husband of
Neighborhood Mafioso pointed out a landmark on the Worcester Common. He said
when he was growing up he would tell his friends that he would meet them next
to the statue with the guy violating a turtle. He used some more colorful language, of course. I’ve been by that statue
a thousand times and never looked twice and now I’ll never walk by it without
laughing. It was a great evening that would not have been possible in that part
of Worcester even a few years ago.
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| The Poor Turtle |
Action on the granddaughter front
remains apace. My Favorite Son finally got a “dada” out of the BRS although she
remains an extremely active young lady. It’s almost tiring watching her motor
around the house with either my son or the ABFA in hot pursuit. Parenting is definitely
a job best left to the young. My daughter posted this picture of Wingman and
the FBR. The FBR picked up this Father’s Day picture and said “Dad, I wish we
could be like this again”. Hearts melted and the photo followed. Deep soul
involved there.
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| Heart Melt |
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RECURRING
CHARACTERS
BRS
- Blog Reader the Sequel
- second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog
Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA –
Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Keene
Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene,
NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since
grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to
attract women; Pittsburgh College
Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which
grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two
close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3rd musquetera
(musketeer); Riggins - also known as
the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the
BRS; PanaGals – female
relatives/friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin
Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we
have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood
Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of
course); First Friday – celebrations
to mark the First Friday of the Week; Deckzilla
Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every
Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with
demeanor issues
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