AT AGE 4, I CAUSE A ROW WITH THE NEIGHBORS

MY MOTHER & STRENA GOYKOVICH GOT ALONG VERY NICELY, BUT THERE WAS A DISAGREEMENT WITH MR. GOYKOVICH . I REMEMBER PLAYING IN THE SUNNY YARD WHERE STREENA HAD A MOTHER HEN AND LITTLE CHICKS. THE LITTLE CHICKS WERE LOOSE AND I STEPPED ON SEVERAL, BREAKING THEIR LEGS I SUPPOSE. STREENA AND MY MOTHER WERE UPSET WITH ME I THINK.

I CAN STILL FEEL THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF MY MOTHER AND STREENA. I BELIEVE MY MOTHER WAS EXPECTING BROWNIE WHO WAS BORN IN THAT HOUSE AND STREENA LOVED HIM FOR SHE HAD NO CHILDREN.

SINCE MY FATHER DID NOT GET ALONG WITH MR. GOYKOVICH HE MOVED HIS FAMILY ACROSS THE STREET TO ELI’S. ELI HAD 3 SMALL CHILDREN TO RAISE BY HIMSELF BECAUSE HIS WIFE AND NEW-BORN BABY DIED IN 1918 WITH THE SPANISH FLU. I’M SURE MY MOTHER HELPED WITH ELI’S CHILDREN. I DO REMEMBER THAT SHE HAD A YELLOW CANARY IN A CAGE IN THAT OLD KITCHEN. THEY ALL LIKED HER.

WE MOVED INTO THE NEW HOUSE AND DOROTHY STARTED SCHOOL. IT WAS A GOOD LONG WALK TO THAT OLD SCHOOL. WHEN I TURNED 4 IT WAS MY TURN TO GET STARTED. MY FATHER TOOK ME TO DR. HACKMAN’S OFFICE FOR MY VACCINATION. I REMEMBER THE DOCTOIR SAYING ”HERE’S A NICE TITTLE BROWN MOLE WHERE WE CAN PUT THE VACCINATION.” I WAS 4 MOST OF MY FIRST YEAR, UNTIL MARCH WHEN I TURNED 5.

MISS JAMES WAS MY TEACHER. YEARS LATER I WONDERED IF JAMES STREET WAS NAMED FOR HER FAMILY BECAUSE SHE WAS FROM TURTLE CREEK. I REMEMBER SEEING THE LETTERS IN CAST IRON ON THE SIDES OF MY SEAT. THEY READ ‘RICHMOND RADIATIOR’ INSTEAD OF A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM MY TEACHER FWAS SCOLDED FOR NOT SITTING STILL. EVIENTLY THAT SCORN DID NOT BOTHER ME MUCH BECAUSE I WENT ON WITH MY CLASS AND ALWAYS DID WELL.


THE HOUSE ON WOODMONT STREET

ABOUT THIS TIME MY FATHER WAS HAVING THE HOUSE BUILT ON WOODMONT STREET IN 1924. I WAS THREE YEARS OLD AND MOTHER CARRIED INFANT BROWNIE IN HER ARMS AS WE VISITED THE NEW BUILDING. THE FLOORS WERE NOT FINISHED AND WE WALKED ON THE SUBFLOORING ACROSS THE RAFTERS. MY MOTHER WAS AFRAID THAT WE WOULD FALL THRU. I LOOKED BACK TOWARDS LITTLE DOROTHY. THIS WAS MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF MY SISTER.


THE KKK MARCHES THROUGH McKeesport

ALTHOUGH I DID NOT KNOW IT AT TH TIME I AM NOW AWARE OF THE PREJUDICE IN THAT SMALL TOWN. TWICE THE KKK MARCHED DOWN OUR STREET AND SET FIRE TO WOODEN CROSSES ON THE LITTLE COAL TIPPLE NEAR OUR STREET.

I ASKED MY FATHER ABOUT THE MEN IN WHITE SHEETS AND POINTED HATS. HE SAID “DON’T WORRY; I KNOW WHO THOSE BUGGERS ARE.” AND HE DID. THE EAST MCKEESPORTLBUSINESS PEOPLE AND CHURCH PEOPLE CAME TO THREATEN PEOPLE ON OUR SIDE OF TOWN. T

HERE WERE NO BLACK PEOPLE. SOME OF THE FAMILIES CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS ON A DIFFERENT DATE THAN DECEMBER 25. SHADOWS OF THE CIVIL WAR EVEN IN THE 1930’S. MY FATHER STOOD RIGHT DOWN ON THE STREET AND I ALONG SIDE OF HIM. HELEN ALSO REMEMBERS THIS.

DAILY CHORES, AND A TELEPHONE SHARED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD

MOM HAD A WHITE ELECTRIC SEWING MACHINE SO SHE COULD SEW MUSLIN NIGHT GOWNS AND PETTY COATS FOR US. SOMETIMES SHE WOULD CROCHET A LITTLE LACE EDGE AROUND THE NECK. IN WINTER WE WORE COTTON BOOTIES OVER OUR SOX FOR EXTRA WARMTH. MY GRANDMOTHER KNITTED WOOL VESTS FOR US. I STILL HAVE HER KNITTING NEEDLES.

WE ALWAYS HAD A GARDEN OF SOME KIND. ONCE MY FATHER HAD SOME GERMAN MEN HELP DIG THE YARD AND THEY SET THE TALL GRASS ON FIRE. I GOT BURNED ON MY FACE AND ARMS AND THEY HELPED ME WITH A LITTLE FIRST AID.

MY MOTHER HAD AN ELECTRIC SWEEPER & THE SQUARE-TUB MAYTAG WASHING MACHINE. WE ALSO HAD A TELEPHONE AND AT TIMES WE HAD TO TAKE MESSAGES TO THE NEIGHBORS. DOLLY KING USED TO GET MESSAGES FROM HER BOYFRIEND, SWEDE. I HAD TO RUN AND FIND HER.

HAIR-DOS WERE ALWAYS A PROBLEM. IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE OLD PICTURES YOU CAN TELL. I USED TO HELP MOM GET HER HAIR DONE AS SHE SAT IN THE KITCHEN. I KNOW SHE APPRECIATED MY HELP AND I AM GLAD NOW THAT SHE COULD COUNT ON ME SOMEWHAT. SHE ALWAYS BRAIDED HELEN’S LONG HAIR.

WHEN MEL WAS JUST OVER 2 DOROTHY AND I AND PROBABLY THE DAUGHERTY GIRLS WALKED UP WOODMONT WITH HIM TO ANN VACTORS WEDDING RECEPTION. THAT WAS OKAY EXCEPT HE NEEDED A CLEAN DIAPER. MOM GOT AFTER US FOR TAKING THIS UNINVITED GUEST TO THE RECEPTION. I WAS 10, D. WAS 12.

SUMMER WANDERINGS & OTHER PLEASURES

BUT I ENJOYED THE HILLS AND WOODS EVEN AT AN EARLY AGE. I WALKED HOME MUCH OF THE TIME AND PICKED VIOLETS AND STRAWBERRIES. ONCE I REACHED OUT FOR A BLACKBERRY AND A COPPERHEAD SNAKE FRIGHTENED ME. WE DID HAVE COPPERHEADS AND RATTLERS IN OUR AREA. I SAW A RARE EASTERN ON A WALK TO MINNIEHAHA. A VERY LONG BLACK SNAKE WAS OVERHEAD. THE FIRST TIME I SAW A GRAPEFRUIT RIND WAS THE ALLEY WHERE PATTERSONS LIVED. THEY JUST THREW IT OUT THE KITCHEN DOOR.

I KNEW WHERE THE REDBUD GREW AND THE BEST ELDERBERRIES, THE OLD CRAB APPLE TREE ON LAURA MULKEARN’S PROPERTY.MRS. MULKEARN WAS A LIBRARIAN AT THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY IN PITTSBURGH. MR MULKEARN IS REMEMBERED FOR ALCOHOLISM.

I MAY HAVE BEEN 4 WHEN MY WANDERINGS CAME INTO TROUBLE WITH MY MOTHER’S COUSIN DESANKA JURICH. MY MOM AND SHE WERE ALL SET TO GO OUT SOMEWHERE ON A SUMMER DAY BUT NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY TRIED THEY COULDNT FIND MY OTHER SHOE. SO DESANKA WAS SO MIFFED THAT SHE TIED ME TO THE BRICK POST ON THE BACK PORCH WITH A PIECE OF CLOTHES LINE. MY MOTHER WASN’T AS UPSET AS HER COUSIN WAS.

IN THE ALLEY BEHIND ELI’S HOUSE I POKED AROUND THE GRAPE MASH THAT HE DUMPED THERE. I THINK THAT HE HAD A WHISKEY STILL IN HIS BASEMENT AND THAT WAS THE RESIDUE.

DOWN THAT SAME ALLEY KR. HESS HUNG A BIG SWING OVER THE OAK TREE BRANCH AND WE USED TO LOVE TO SPEND TIME THERE. MRS. HESS DIED YOUNG AND LEN HESS WAS KILLED AT GUADALCANAL IN THE WAR.

MR. HAMMER DELIVERED THE ICE IN SUMMER AND HE CHIPPED OFF A CHUNK FOR US KIDS, TO COOL OFF. HE USED TO CALL MEL “BUSTER” MEL RUSHED HOME TO TELL MY MOTHER THAT THE ICE MAN CALLED HIM “BASTARD”. WE ALL GOT A CHUCKLE OUT OF THAT.

THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER SEEN A FUNERAL HEARSE WAS WHEN MR. SKELLY DIED. CARS AND TRUCKS WERE SCARCE. BUT MY FATHER HAD A MODEL T AND LATER MODEL A’s.

MY GRANDFATHER, GLISHO ZIVKOVICH DIED IN 1913 AND IS BURIED IN CARRICK, PA. MY GRANDMOTHER, MARTHA ZIVKOVICH DIED BEFORE LINDA WAS BORN AND IS BURIED NEXT TO MY MOTHER AT GRANDVIEW CEMETARY IN EAST McKeesport, PA.

IN THE 1920’S AT OUR HOUSE ON WOODMONT STREET, MY FATHER INSTALLED A CRYSTAL RADIO SET ON THE BOOKCASE. I CLIMBED UP ON MOM’S CUT VELVET ARM CHAIR TO PLAY WITH THAT SET. I MOVED THE LEVER BACK AND FORTH TO GET ANY SOUND. I GAVE UP EASILY AND WENT INSTEAD TO THE SET OP RIDPATH HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN THE BOOKCASE BENEATH.

ONCE A ROGUE, ALWAYS A ROGUE

WITH ALL MY WANDERINGS IT ISN’T SURPRIZING TO FIND THAT I WENT TO ELI’S KITCHEN WHERE WE USED TO LIVE. NO ONE WAS THERE EXCEPT ELI. I WAS STANDING NEAR THE TABLE WHERE HE SAT. HE LAID A 5 CENT PIECE IN FRONT OF ME AND SAID THAT I COULD RAVE IT IF I’D ALLOW HIM TO TICKLE ME. HE HAD HIS HAND UP MY LITTLE DRESS. I BACKED AWAY AND EVEN AT THAT EARLY AGE (4) I KNEW THAT THIS WAS WRONG. YEARS LATER WHEN I WAS 20, I HAD AN OCCASION TO GO BACK TO VISIT HIS DAUGHTER. AGAIN I COULD SEE THAT. ELI WAS AN OLD ROGUE TO STAY AWAY FROM. WHEN I HEARD THAT IN HIS OLD AGE HE BECAME BLIND, I COULD NOT FEEL ANY SYMPATHY FOR ELI.

BUYING MOONSHINE AT THE “OUTHOUSE”

MOST OF THE SERBIAN FAMILIES MADE A LITTLE TABLE WINE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. MY GRANDMOTHER KAD ENOUGH TO SELL AND PAY OFF THE TAXES. THESE WESTINGHOUSE HOUSES SOLD FOR $695.00 AT THAT TIME. JOE’S HOUSE WAS ON THE NEXT STREET. THERE WAS A LITTLE SHACK NEXT TO THE BORO BUILDING IN EAST McKEESPORT WHERE A HALF MOON WAS CUT INTO THE DOOR. EVERYONE KNEW THAT A PERSON COULD BUY SOME LIQUOR THERE. MOONSHINE IT WAS CALLED.

WE RODE THE STREET CAR TO GET TO THE NEXT TOWN. FOR 25 CENTS YOU COULD BUY A SUNDAY PASS AND RIDE ALLDAY MOSTLY WE WENT TO MR. RITCHEY TO SEE IF HE WAS DONE RIDING THE STREET CARS FOR THE DAY. HE USED TO GO TO THE THEATRE IN MeKEESPORT FOR THE MOVIES. OWEN RITCHEY WAS ARRESTED LATER FOR MOLESTING LADIES IN THE SHOW. HE ALWAYS WENT TO SING AT HIS CHURCH. AMEN.