He Meant Business!

As I mentioned before my dad's mom was italian. Her mom and dad and 2 older sisters came over to the US shortly before she and her other sister and brother were born. They grew up in the southern part of Philadelphia. His Uncle Joe Sbaraglia (his mom's brother) was the only boy in a family full of girls. His mom loved him deeply and it's obvious he loved her as well. Well, once such occasion of that love and protectiveness was made known when dad was in his young teens, around 14 or 15. His Uncle Joe, a Philadelphia fireman, had had a heartattack and wasn't working for a short while, so he had come to the house to do some painting for my grandma. He was up on a ladder, painting away, while my dad and his brother Carl watched. Grandma came in and told the boys to do something. Dad doesn't remember what they said back, but apparently it was a smart remark of some kind, because after his mom left the room, Uncle Joe very calmly climbed down the ladder, got right in their faces and said, "If you ever talk to my sister like that again, I'll take you outside and beat your ass." hahaha Sufficed to say, my dad and my Uncle Carl never again disrespected their mom in their Uncle Joe's presence again! You don't mess with an italian guy from south philly!!

**Thanks to my Aunt Judi for providing this picture of Uncle Joe when he was painting that day. Can't believe you had actually had this picture!! :-)