Thinking of Uncle Henry - Again and Still

You'd have to go back through my posts to get a full flavor of Uncle Henry.  I won't try to summarize why he was always "the character" in the family.  This little, and rarely true gag was inspired by "Hank".  It occured in 1982 more or less....

Becky and I had been going together for a few years.  We were both living in California at the time and Becky had never met my folks, nor any of my family - all back in Massachusetts.  We decided that year to fly to the East Coast, rent a car, and drive the coast from Rhode Island, up to Southern Maine, then inland and South a bit to my home town, Pittsfield, MA.

It was a great trip, Becky met my folks, my Brothers and my Sister, a couple Cousins, Aunts... generally, a good sampling of the Sacchettis'.  While in Pittsfield on a drive to one of my Aunt's home we were stopped at a redlight. 

"See that gas station and the phone booth on the corner over there?  Back about 30 years ago, late at night, my Uncle "Peanuts" was making a call from that booth when a long black cadillac limosene intentionally ran him, and the booth over.  The lady that lives in that house saw the whole thing.  Peanuts ran a newspaper and cigar store on North Street downtown and everyone, including the police, knew it was nothing more than a front for a Mafia Bookie operation.  Peanuts treated the police right - and they didn't bother him... he was just "small peanuts" to them."

Becky's mouth was wide open and judging by her repeated "Ohh my God" comments, she had swallowed it hook, line, and well, you know.  And that was all there was to it.  Years, decades passed and nothing more was said of it.  Nothing more until another visit back home for a Sacchetti family picnic.  With more than 100 of us gathered, there were all sorts of stories flying around the pavilion and Becky decided to join in - she told the story I had told her years and years ago.  I had completely forgotten having made it up.  Well... when she found out that it was a fabrication she called me names I am too much a gentleman to repeat in print.

I guess it was a year of so ago, we were sitting at home and she brought it up - "remember when you told me your Uncle........".   We laughed like fools.  Truth be known, Peanuts was a real character, not an Uncle, but just as good - a good friend of the family.  And Peanuts (the only name I know for him) did own a newspaper and cigar store up on North Street.  So that's the only truth of it - the rest is blamed on that  Uncle Henry Gene in me!

Having said that, further recollections do seem to bear the bookie part of the story out.  I definately do remember my Grandma giving me a brown paper bag to deliver to Uncle Peanuts at his store, and a whole dollar when I got back - I did this quite often!

Only believe half of what comes out of my mouth (fingers).  That's easy, the hard part is knowing which half to believe!  Some or all of this little story is true - I've been making stuff up for so long now, not even I can tell you what is gospel.