Like so many things from childhood, it was a good fourty years before I told this one to Miss Addie. I do believe that it was cause for several novenas begging for mercy on my immortal albeit tarnished soul. During my Senior year of high school, I had accumulated sufficient funds to purchase, for a grand total of $75, a ’51 Ford Victoria. The only reason that I was allowed to have a car was in anticipation of attending an area community college … once accepted to University, my Dad declared the car was a piece of history. So, it was a pretty cool summer being able to get from here to there in my own wheels.
My Mikey and I, always inseparable, spent that summer pretending to be adults. Sorta. As it came to pass, gas was not always easy to come by. Oh, it was plentiful and cheap but we didn’t always have money. However, not too far from home there was a wishing fountain. On one occasion, we liberated 15 cents to purchase some gas. We were not greedy. The pool was filled with nickels, dimes and quarters but we were raised not to take what wasn’t ours. Mostly. I suppose Miss Addie’s reaction to our miscreant behavior might have had something to with this wishing pool being connected to Holy Family RC Church. I believe that Mikey having been the Min. of Music at St Lucy’s for 25 years was atonement enough for him. I am still working my part in the escapade off. And, hoping that from his place on high that he is rooting me on.