Saturday, June 24, 2023
I was 15yrs old when mom, dad and me were ready to be driven to the train station to go back home after a weekend visit to Bedford Village. Before getting in Grandpa,s 1950 black plymouth grandpa asked Mom n dad if it would be ok for me to stay with him for my two month summer vacation. Grandpa said that Uncle Joe decided to go into a landscaping venture full time and could use both of our help. This was when Grandpa, who was 82 and just released from many years work at Tucket,s estate on Mt. Kisco. Mom was all in but Dad had mixed feelings, mostly against. His only concern was what pay would Uncle Joe pay me. Without any though he replied what do you me, pay, look at all the on the job training and experience Sammy would get. After a short discussion an agreement was reached. I would stay with Grandpa and Aunt Angie would provide food, sleeping and wash my clothes. Uncle Joe was give me weekly pay based on hours of actual work As for me. It had been sixty years and I still have not seen and or the monies earned. How has it, I have not idea....but I,m just saying. I can not state how much hard work completed those two months, how much I learned about life lessons like responsibilities to be on time, do a professional job, work in a team environment, etc etc. I earned millions, not in dollars but in life growing up, loads of love, friendship and care, that it was and is like winning the mega lottery. Extremely prou.d to be a small part of Aquilino strong.
God best Uncle Joe. RIP. I will never forget you and all the 75 years of sharing life events with you
Respectfully your NJ nephew,Sammy A
