"Our Venerable Organization "The 3 Musketeers"

 

This photo is the last get-together of all 3 Musketeers

Is it simply a coincidence that I came across this letter today??
On April 27, 1996 Uncle Joe Mule' wrote a letter to the effect that he needed "....to convene an emergency meeting of the above mentioned society(i.e., The 3 Musketeers)".   In the letter he states that " the urgency of this matter is underscored by the medical status of 2 of our members, one of whom is suffering from Post Desert Storm World War II Syndrome (The Big One according to Archie Bunker) while engaged in protecting the safety and welfare of the other 2 slackers members who beat the Draft, thereby setting an example for our noble President. [Joe makes reference to the fact that he had a spontaneous rupture of a blood vessel of the left eye whereas the other member (referring to Nick) is incapacitated with bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome, persistent shoulder pain, along with a pattern of intermittent sleep deprivation upon retiring.]
"having talked with Brutus # 6 7/8 recently, and in light of my own recent personal experiences, I feel obligated - indeed compelled- to entreat you to assume the awesome responsibility of carrying on the exalted traditions of the "3M's" into the next century.  Thus ensuring that your children and grand-children are fully apprised of the exploits of our society - i.e.,
1.) Our educational pursuits relative to our rich cultural heritage of the 30's & 40's, such as our frequent trips to the World's Fair, the Modern Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History in N.Y. and the Hudson Theatre in New Jersey.
2.) Your clandestine, cloak & dagger "lock picking" exploits in search of contraband and subversive materials, causing consternation & panic in the locker room of fellow students at Brooklyn College.
3.) The bewilderment of local residents upon seeing a "naked" Brooklyn College Student freezing his "ass" off on the street outside the Gym at said college.
  Joe ends his letter " So it is with a heavy heart that I urge you to accept this awesome burden of leadership.  Awaiting your reply.
                                                    Member In Good Standing,
                                                     The Lover
PS. # 1  I can still read Get Well Cards with my right eye.
PS # 2 I refuse to wear a black eye patch because it could scare my cat.
PS # 3 I hope my cat gets along with my Seeing Eye Dog.
                                                             cc: Brutus 6 7/8
                                                                  (Keeper of the Privy Seal)
So there you have it - a bit of a feel for my Uncle Joe Mule' and the Three Musketeers!   It amazes me how far they carried their little "play" - From the moment they were dubbed the Three Musketeers by one of their college instructors, it has added humor, excitement and cohesion to their friendship and to their lives.  Family and friends have also enjoyed witnessing their productions.   I'm the proud owner of a couple of "documents" containing this famous "privy seal" . 
This letter gives a peak into the time in which they lived their youth:
the 1939 World's Fair, "free entertainment" at the NYC Museums, a burlesque theater in New Jersey
( I heard a couple of stories about this infamous theater when I was "well on in years" myself.  I guess they did not want to shock me when I was young).
In the letter, we also see they were somewhat naughty and apparently proud of it.  After all, Joe is asking Charlie and Nick to make sure these tales of misbehavior are shared with their children and grandchildren. - Can you imagine shoving poor Joe naked into the street outside of the Brooklyn College Gym and then shutting and locking the door behind him?  And, Joe didn't have much fat on him!  He must have been both embarrassed and freezing.
Good thing Charlie didn't have a tendency for thievery with all the lock picking he enjoyed over the years.
So there you have it in Uncle Joe's own words - a brief history of the Three Musketeers.
The other thing I happened to find today (coincidence???) was a bookmark from Joe Mule' that has a picture of a 1940's era cutie in a very modest two piece bathing suit.   Joe added a sticky note , "She'd look cuter with a skimpier bathing suit".    The quote ( Scottish Proverb)  on the bookmark says, " Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead."   Sounds like sound advice, Uncle Joe! 

                                        This is the last time Joe and Charlie got together.

Early this evening My Uncle Joe Mule' went to join the other Two Musketeers

The earthly era of the Three Musketeers officially ended at 5 PM today.  My sister, Meg, got a phone call from Maureen at approximately 8PM this evening telling us that our "Uncle" Joe Mule' went to join his two buddies in heaven.    Shortly before he died Uncle Joe told Maureen that he could see Charlie.  Joe asked Maureen if she saw him too, and since she did not, Joe asked her if she had any messages to convey. This doesn't really surprise me too much.
As I mentioned before, my Dad met Joe Mule' in his Junior Year at Bushwich High School in Brooklyn and they have been friends ever since.  So it only stands to reason that Charlie would be there and grabbing for Joe's hand during this major transition. 
My Dad was 97 when he died in September, Nick Pascarelli, the oldest of the three Musketeers, died first - a week before his 97th birthday and Joe was 97 when he died today.  They died in order, the oldest died first, the second oldest died second, and the youngest  died last.   It seems logical and it almost seems a part of their plan.
Their friendship was legendary and remarkable.  When you combine it together, these three men walked 291 years on this planet. 
They were never, ever, just casual friends.  I mean these guys connected on an almost daily basis for decades and decades.  I believe the love and support they gave to each other is the reason they all lived such active, productive, conscious lives right up to the end.  
I was lucky to know these fabulous "Three Musketeers" for my entire life.   Although they say that "blood is thicker than water", my Uncle Nick and my Uncle Joe were probably my closest Uncles even though we didn't share an ounce of blood.  I loved them dearly.  They were marvelous men and I, too, was blessed by their loyal and steadfast friendship with my Father.   It actually is a bit comforting to know they are together again.  It also makes me feel that "heaven" is a warmer, more inviting place. 

This Pope Gives me Hope

Very late last night I couldn’t sleep.  I was feeling tired, discourage and depressed.  Sometimes the pain takes over you and you just have to cry.  But instead, at 2AM I got up out of bed and I Goggled “the Pope and the little boy who wouldn’t leave his side” and “the Pope and the man with a deformity”.  I haven’t been one to feel great love for our Popes in recent years, but this guy, Francis, has caught my eye.  I finally felt the presence of Christ in a Pontiff.  Somehow this man with a deformity, and this little boy who clung on to Pope Francis seemed so much like me, so much like all of us, needing to experience the embrace of a loving God.   I thought about the movie, “As Good as it Gets” and I felt like Jack Nicholson’s character when he made the statement, “You make me want to be a better man.”

For some reason this Pope has that effect on me.  He makes me want to be a better person.  He seems to be so much about the business of loving God and loving each other.  He doesn’t have to worry or preach about sin when his focus is so completely on love.   Some of my best teachers have been the people who lived their lives with love and kindness.  They haven’t told me so much how I should live; they simply modeled marvelous, loving, generous behavior.  I observed them and was carried along in their wave.   In the wee hours of the night, I watched the U-tube videos of our Pope, Francis, several times over and as I sat there I could feel the love of God in his embrace.    I logged off my computer, went back to bed with a ray of hope in my heart and promptly fell asleep.

The Last of the Three Muskateers

My "Uncle" Joe Mule' is in a live-in Hospice Program and he is currently transitioning from this life to the next.   A few days ago while he was still at Maureen and Randy's home, he told Maureen (she is like a daughter to Joe) that he got a phone call from Charlie (my Dad) but the operator cut in and said that their time was up and they would have to call back later.  Uncle Joe said to Maureen, "don't you think that's funny, Maureen, given the fact that Charlie is dead?"
In the last couple of days he reported that he saw God in blazing light.  Yesterday, the nurse observed Uncle Joe smiling and gesturing to someone he was calling "Charlie".   So what do you think?  Is this real?  What exactly is happening here?    I sure hope his dear friends, Charlie and Nick, are waiting with open arms, and smiling faces.  What a grand reunion this will be.  The guys who met in High School ( Bushwich High School- Joe Mule' & Charlie Fries ) and were united with Nick Pascarelli (in freshman year at Brooklyn College) will be standing together once again as the famous "Three Musketeers".  I like to believe there will be great joy in this place we call "heaven".

1937 - Dear "Sister Girl"

This is a letter written by my Aunt Maureen to my mother, Rita, on May 27, 1937.  Maureen Adele O'Donnell was born in Brooklyn, NY on 11-16-1918 therefore she was 18 years old when she wrote this letter (she was going to turn 19 years old in Nov. of 1917).  My mother was born on March 25, 1917 (Brooklyn) therefore she had just turned 20 two months earlier.
"Isn't it swell about Ann's new daughter? She's got red hair too. She should be cute.
                                                                            1017 Putnam Ave.
                                                                             Brooklyn, NY
                                                                             May 27th, 1937
Dear "Sister Girl",
              I thought I'd drop you a little note just to tell you I'm so lonesome for you.  Anne won't fight with me at all nice, like you do.  Gee won't we have some nice fights when you get home.
               I think I'm getting a raise at least Miss Johansen said she spoke for me.  Ain't that some thin? Another girl on my floor just quit Monday without notice & another fellow.  One of the girls is leaving Sat. too, she's getting married so we're getting a lot of new help.  My boss will be back from her vacation Tuesday, but that's not going to be a thrill for me, I wish she'd quit too.
               Ben was down Monday night.  He wanted to go up to Myrtle Ave to a Chinese Restaurant & have Chop Suey but I don't care much for it so we just went to an ice cream parlor & had sundaes.
On the way home we came down Putnam and as we didn't want to bump into Clare we turned off at the block before hers. And as you might know we'd only gone a few steps when we met her and a girl friend on their way home from school.  It was sort of an embarrassing situation for Ben 'cause Clare saw us turn down the block & most probably knew we were trying to avoid her.  Oh well---He's coming down Mon. & I guess we'll go to a show, there's nothing else to do.
             Mother says to tell you it would be best to come home Mon. if you can get a ride to Scranton.  But to let us know when you'll get in.
             I'm going to a dance Saturday night at Poly Tech.  Hank called up last Sat. & invited me.  We (our family) were out riding last Sun. & drove by his home.  Gee! you should see the nifty neighborhood they live in, our place looks like a shanty in comparison.  I hope he has his car.  Jack is going too, I believe, and that other couple, Ed & Edna that we went out with last time.  I think I'm going to get a new dress & would like to get a white jigger coat only I'll have to see how long the money holds out.
             I hope you got to the dance last nite & had a lot of fun.  How was the graduation?  Remind Mary she owes me a letter.
             I owe Eunice, Fran, Tom & Don letters so I'll have to close now & get busy on them.  Dad got applications for the Grade 2 Clerk position so we'll have to get busy studying.
                                                                       Lots of Love,
                                                                        Reen
Some of my reflections on this letter;
First of all I think this letter is adorable and so in tune with their young age!  Maureen sound like she was very popular with the opposite sex.
At the top of the letter, Maureen added an after-thought about the new baby that was just born.  I checked the O'Donnell genealogy records and discovered that this new baby girl was Maureen Krebs (Kragh) who was born on May 25, 1937 to Anne O'Donnell Krebs and her husband, Frank Krebs (she was their third child and their first daughter - after Warner (DOB: 12-19-32) and Noel (DOB: 12-26-1934)
I had heard that Maureen went with a guy named Ben.  The guy I heard about was suppose to be a bit of a playboy and I am not sure if the Ben mentioned in the letter is the same Ben.  I also heard the name Hank but don't know anything about him.  Obviously, Maureen was impressed by his neighborhood.
I'm curious to see a photo of a "white jigger coat" - I'll have to do a web search.
Rita was apparently up "in the country" to attend the graduation - I believe - of her cousin, Mary Rose.
I had heard that Maureen & Rita "loved" to fight.  Apparently there was some truth to it.  I heard that Maureen was neat and kept her wardrobe "on the ready" and Rita was a bit more "laid back" in this area.  Rita would discover she had nothing clean to wear and would raid Maureen's clothes for something to wear.  As you can imagine, Maureen wasn't too thrilled by this!
Maureen apparently wasn't too fond of her boss. ".......I wish she'd quit too."  Maureen was hoping to get a position as a Grade 2 Clerk.  Don't know if that ever happened.  I never heard my Aunt Maureen referred to herself as "Reen" but when you are this age, I think finding a new nickname was common.

March 11, 1942 ltr Rita to Charlie

Since my Mother refers to Rosina and John in the letter below, I would like to use this opportunity to post this photo.  I believe it is Rosina Coleman Smith.  Can anyone confirm that for me?  If it is indeed Rosina, do you know when and possibly where it was taken?

The following letter contains a bit of family history.  It was written in March 1942 – my parents, Rita and Charlie, had been married approximately 1 year and 5 months and as of yet have no children.   My mother, Rita, was writing from Friendsville, and I assume my Dad was home in Brooklyn at either 1492 Bushwich Ave or 58 Interboro Pkwy (There was no envelope).  My mopther probably went up to see her Grandma Hannah (Byrne) Coleman since she was ill.  Grandma Coleman died in November of 1942 at the home of her youngest child, Kathleen (Coleman) Fitzgerald

“                                                                                         Friendsville, Pa.

                                                                                            March 11, 1942

Dear Honey Bee,

          I am up in Friendsville tonight.  Grandma hasn’t much of any fever, but is feeling very poorly.  She crys a good deal of the time.   Mary Rose is taking care of her. They also have another woman to help but she isn’t expected to stay.  Mother and Dad have gone back to Aunt Mays to sleep.

          I am having a great time with the children.  Frank and Mike had me reading stories from their school book.  One was about little Brownies who give children colds and another was about the two knights, - Black and White – who had a duel.  Each story has a moral.  The latter one was for boys to dress warm and to change under- clothing often.  I said that would be a good mortal for you to follow. Mike says to be sure to tell you about that story.  I had made the remark casually and I didn’t even think the kids were listening, but they don’t miss a trick.

            I don’t know whether I should go to Sonyea tomorrow or not.

            Rosina and John are calling their baby John Joseph and nick-naming him Jack.  I haven’t seen him or Rosina since I came.          

            Anne Fitz is here besides me and she sends her love.  Mary Rose says to tell you she was asking for you, too.

                                                                                     With love and kisses,

                                                                                        Rita xxx ^1/2    x

xx from Mary

xx from Anne

 Some facts from the Curley Reunion Book  - Anne Fitz was born in 1931, Mike Fitzgerald was born in 1932 and Frank was born in 1933.  They lived in Friendsville, Pa with their siblings, Richard and Maurice aka Junie, and their parents, Maurice and Kathleen (Coleman) Fitzgerald who ran a grocery store in Friendsville for many years.  At the time this letter was written they were children (approximately 11, 10, and 9 years of age).  For the younger generations - Grandma Hannah Coleman was my mother's maternal grandmother.  She had 8 children - Margaret (Rita's mother) was the oldest and Kathleen (Richard, Junie, Anne, Mike & Frank's mother) was the youngest. 

I also do not know what " Sonyea" means in the letter.
 Does my mother insinuate that my father didn't change his underwear?  

 

Unexpected Truths - Unexpected People

My friend, Anne, recently shared this quote by Carl Sandburg, “Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me.”

Some of the things I have discovered in more recent years have to do with “unexpected truths” and “unexpected people”.

When my dear daughter found out that she was pregnant, we felt like the world had come to an end.  At the time, she wasn’t married and, although she was working full time in Daycare, she was not making a living wage.  (It never ceases to amaze me that we live in a society that pays such minimal wages for the most vital, important work, that is, caring for other human beings.  But this is another story for another time. )

Anyway, in the course of her pregnancy and my feelings of despair, people shared unexpected truths with me.   It amazed me that people cared enough to ease my heartbreak that they would share such intimate details from their own lives.   I do not intend to disclose their identities but there stories made me realize that there are many “unexpected truths” and many “unexpected people” in the world.      People had “illicit” sexual relations which resulted in the creation of a real, live human being. 

Is that the ideal way to “co-create” a human being?   In many instances, this type of “forbidden” sexual relationship complicates things for the co-creators and the newly created human being.  So, my answer to this question is -  it is probably not “the ideal.”  Then again, I guess, in certain circumstances, it works out just fine.  For example, Dr. William Carrington, my childhood-family’s physician, use to say that a couple’s first pregnancy usually only requires a 6-7 month gestation.  I am certain that many, many marriages were prompted by this reality.    Now-a-days, couples openly co-habitate before marriage and, if TV and the movies are in any way realistic, premarital sex is a given.  A person has sex with his/her “main squeeze” and when this relationship breaks up they have sex with the next “main squeeze” or possibly more than one main squeeze at a time.   I do not hear a lot of criticism of this behavior – the stigma has longed disappeared.   So why is it such a shock to some when they hear that a child was conceived “out of wedlock” in years past.   Human beings were and always will be (at least as long as they are on this earth) – human beings.  They are imperfect and make mistakes.  They have sexual relations for many different reasons.  Sometimes a person loves a person and wants to be “one” with that person forever and ever.   Sometimes sexual relations have little or nothing to do with love.   Sometimes a person wants comfort in grief and heartbreak (check out the movie “The Summer of 42” for an example of this scenario).  Sometimes, they have too much to drink or simply “get carried away” with the physical feelings and can’t stop what they possibly shouldn’t have started in the first place.     And what about the instance when the person having sexual relations with someone is actually married to or in a committed relationship with someone else?  Don’t I think this is the worst of the worst?   Surprisingly I guess I do not.  Remember in the movie, “Grease”.  In this movie there is a song sung by a girl named “ Rizzo” ( played by Stockard Channing).  The title of the song is “There are worse things I could do.”  I guess I believe that sex and love are extremely complicated issues and that a person can have sex with someone while still very much in love with someone else.   I guess I believe there are “worse things that people can do” and I have a tendency to forgive sexual indiscretions.  Sometimes -  although totally unexpected and unplanned- there are absolutely wonderful, marvelous people who were created from sexual unions that were never suppose to happen.  

Can you guess who wrote this sweet letter?

                                                                                              November 7, 1962
Dear Mrs. Dooley,

I think the thing that determines the behavior of a person is the way he is brought up by his parents and guided by his teachers.

Just this summer I saw a little boy about four years old throw a piece of chrome at a moving car.  His mother stood right next to him, saw the whole thing and made no attempt to correct or reprimand him.  She just acted as if her son had done nothing at all.  It made me think of what that child would be like in ten years from now.  He would probably think nothing of robbing, destroying and maybe even killing. If that mother would have taken a minute out to tell him it is wrong to do these things, she could had made a big improvement in his character which may determine whether he will be a successful person or he will spend a great deal of his life in jail.

I also feel that the parents have an obligation to stay at home and make sure their children get a proper education.  Today a lot of parents go to work and come home exhausted, therefore don't care what their children do or where they go.  The result is the children hang around the street corner and make troublemakers of themselves.  Then the next day if there is a test they will just copy from their friends and pass.  And when it is time for the teacher to collect the homework they will simply say "I don't have it".   If the teacher says "alright it's going to effect your mark", they couldn't care less.  But if the teacher were to keep them in after school for lack of homework, and the parents had an interest in the homework then the children would begin to realize their obligation to do their work.  If the students would stay in every weekday night and do homework and more studying, they could then enjoy their weekends knowing they were having fun and also climbing the ladder of success. They would keep their mind on what is of their concern and something they could do nothing about, and also know they were going to make a better future for them selves and for others.
                                                                       
                                                                                Sincerely yours,
                                                                                ? Guess Who
P.S. Another instance of how parents influence their children-----I would never have thought about writing to you, if my mother hadn't coaxed me into doing it.  She reads your page each week in Ave maria and reports it to the rest of the family.

see the response below written 6 months later:
                                                                                     May 12, 1963
Dear ?,

When going through my files, it occurred to me that you might like to have your contribution to the "teen age contest" returned.

Thank you very much for entering, and for your very thoughtful comments on parents, with which I agree.

I'm just sorry that everyone could not be a winner.
                                                                          
                                                                                   God bless you always,
                                                                                   Kate Dooley
PS. My very best regards to your mother.  I'm happy to know that she likes the Ave Maria.  KTD

letter from my Mom to her brother dated Sunday, October 21, 1951

                                                                       Sunday, October 21, 1951
Dear Joe,
             I guess you know by this time I'm as slow at getting my letter mailed as the postal service is delivering them to you.  However, since I didn't get the enclosed letter mailed over the weekend I'll add this sheet to get my money's worth.
              I had dinner at your house Friday, P.M. The children and I came after school and Charlie joined us after work.  It was our anniversary and Charlie brought me a box of chocolate covered cherries and presented them to me with much ceremony.  Marie almost fainted at the demonstration. We stayed till eleven-thirty.   Saturday we came back at three for Diane's party.  We all enjoyed it.  There was considerable friction among the guest over the prizes.   Marie had to send out for extra coloring books to appease them.  Otherwise the party was a huge success.  If you had been with us everything would have been perfect.
              Today Mother, Dad, Anne, Marie and the children had dinner with us.  We girls ( Anne, Marie and I) took a ride with Dad to see Joe's house.  Gerard and Anne also came along.  Everyone liked the house. When we got back we had a six handed game of canasta.  Charlie, Anne and I won. We couldn't play a second game because Dad and Mother went to Leddy's.
               I am enclosing some drawings Charlie Junior made for you.  Looks like the U.S. Army is doing alright.
                I am enclsing the weekly leaflet from St. Michael's for this week.  Since we are all praying for your safe and speedy return, you'll be homeward bound soon with the help of God. 
                                                                     Love from all,
                                                                      Rita