I went to the Senior Center today and spoke with an Italian cement man from South Philly, “brick point man” I think he said.  Showed me how he finished the slather. The Irish boss told him to work faster or he’d throw him off the boards, but my Rudy was quick and nimble with a spat.

The Italian had on a gold crucifix emblazoned with the delicate figurine of Jesus Christ against a black turtleneck on a fine gold chain.

He lost his London wife, quit drinking and smoking all in 1950 Philly.

Union man he was.  Damn Irish priest with the make on his wife.  He reported the scaffolding incident with his Irish boss and he was transferred to another job.

Italian’s first wife left with the Steward.  He told her he’d leave her once she aged a few years.  She didn’t listen and left with him anyway.  Steward left her after a few more years–just like my man warned her.  “He lived off women,” he said of Steward [I didn’t dare tell him my stories, but he can read them here].

We both like Frank Sinatra so-so.  He’s good when one is drinking, he agreed.

My man told me he warned her.

The Italian got married two more times both ending in divorce.  His two kids from the Londoner still visit with him.

The London mother asks why their children don’t want to visit her?  My man said “maybe it was because you left them when they were seven…and.”  We were eating lunch together by now and Rudy gulped.  He had finished eating, and pushed his tray aside.  Sorrowful, twisted and broken deeper than a 15 foot core of cement my man looked down and away.  He was a fighter he said and a damn good one.  He told me of his fights he won and some place burning down in the aftermath of a loss.

He became conscious of my reaction as he probably was every time he told the story at the Center.  “Cement man,” he had said; “cement man” he had repeated, seeing I was interested.

Rudy repeated, “The Irish priest who had a make on my wife, asked her ‘What are you doing with a guy like that’?”

A lot happened in 1950.

Ever notice how few movies were made in 1950?  Getting busy.

Copyright 03-16-2015 John Rubens