OUR STORY
ITALIAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
Keeping “In Touch” BY CHARLES SACCHETTI
On June 26, 1979, my wife, Luann, and I were blessed with our first child: a beautiful, little daughter, Rosanne. Everyone in the family was thrilled. She would have four loving grandparents to shower her with a ton of love. My parents had two granddaughters, from my sister and her husband, so the birth of our daughter was extra special for my wife’s parents, Fred and Rose Sorbello, who now had their first grandchild. Rose was a loving lady who exuded femininity. She was the ideal motherin-law, never butting into our affairs. While delivering her eulogy, I joked that my only complaint with her was that I could never tell “mother-in-law” jokes because she was so nice. Fred was a handsome, hard-working, gregarious man and also quite the kidder.
walk gave me time to reflect upon the events of the last week and to ponder my new responsibilities. On the way, I thought of Fred and said a quick prayer, thinking, ‘Boy, Dad, too bad you’re not around. Now you have a grandson who could really make use of a hammer.’ Soon after, we left for New Jersey. After about a mile, I saw a fairly large object in the street, which I would have to avoid. Approaching it, my heart leapt, and I let out an audible “Whoa,” startling Rose. There, in the middle of the road, was a brand-new, shiny hammer. I kept driving, adrenaline pumping, and told Rose the whole story, from my walk to the store up to that very moment. She looked at me in amazement.
Was this a coincidence? Fifty-six Like Rose, Luann is a meticulous years of driving and I had never enhousekeeper, a surprise for anyone countered a hammer in the road. I who knew her as a child. Little Luann have, unfortunately, met up with a was a holy terror, grabbing everything nail or two. Naturally, this story passed in sight, knocking things over, jumpthrough the entire family the day it ing on furniture, and just generally occurred. A recreated setting of a hammer getting into mischief. Her father saw lying in “Mary’s Garden” in the same Two decades later, Michael was a spot as the one that was left for his opportunity for a little “payback.” young man contemplating a proposal Michael, just before he proposed to He quickly stated his intention to Gina. of marriage to the love of his life, Gina. teach the baby how to run around the Despite his euphoria, he has natural house and perform feats of mayhem. anxiety about how his life will change forever. He decides At her first birthday party, he was true to his word. His to pop the question after Sunday mass at the Church of gift box contained a very realistic-looking toy hammer to the Sacred Heart in Riverton, New Jersey. be used by the baby after his “personal instruction.” After mass, the young couple strolls into “Mary’s GarThree years later, our son, Michael, came along. Lu- den,” a scenic shrine dedicated to the Blessed Mother. His ann’s pregnancy was bittersweet as her Dad was engaged nervousness immediately disappears when he looks at a in a courageous battle with lung cancer. Fred died two nearby bench and sees … a shiny hammer just sitting there. months before our son’s birth, so Michael’s arrival was He then realizes that his “Pop-Pop” was giving him the greeted with emotions of every type. Rose came to our message: “Go for it, kid, and don’t worry about a thing.” house in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, to lend a hand while Luann was getting back on her feet. Charles Sacchetti (Worthwhilewords21@gmail.com) is the Three days later, it was time to take her back home to author of two books, It’s All Good: Times and Events I’d Never Want to Change and Knowing He’s There: True New Jersey. Earlier that morning, I decided to stroll to Stories of God’s Subtle Yet Unmistakable Touch. the shopping center to pick up a few things. The half-mile FALL 2021
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ITALIAN AMERICA
