Women of South Philly

Wives and Mothers.
At least once a week they were all outside with their hoses and brooms. They cleaned the walls, steps, pavement and street.  I can remember my Aunt Gloria scrubbing the marble steps at 747 S. Darien St...My mother cleaning every baseboard in the house and the windows inside and out every week. That was the life they chose and did it well. Of course my chores each week were cleaning the bathroom and scrubbing the kitchen floor: and daily stoking the coal furnace and taking out the ashes.

NOTE; What a deal! Women - cleaning, cooking, laundry, organize activities, comfort, care, give birth, and a host of other efforts including in today's world, careers.  All because one man gave up one rib. And when you go dancing they do everything a man does, backward on high heels. WOW. Be grateful guys.

We rarely had our doors locked and the ladies simply knocked and entered every afternoon for coffee and a donut. I heard them laugh. They were happy. And every evening about 5 pm a magnificent array of aromas flowed from their kitchens.

There was a great respect for authority in those days because those in authority, I believe, were endowed with COMMON SENSE, and applied it: teachers, police and parents. Todays world seems to encourage a law suit for any trivial matter. You know, nail polish, Waring weird T shirts and a host of other things that kids do just to tick you off. Maybe that's an indication we are not communicating effectively. Perhaps one fault is our leaders are no no longer mentors.

I believe women have always ruled the world, they simply did not get the credit. Now they demand credit and things will change, but I also believe, not to their benefit. If you want to be what a man is you will receive what a man gets. You may not like it. I would never trade places with a woman. I believe men got the best deal from nature. And therefore women deserve the ultimate respect.

Well, thank you Mom and all the ladies of Bancroft street for many happy days, block parties, encouragement, patience, which all adds up to love thy neighbor.