Voice from the Past

A woman called yesterday—did I remember the Romano family? Of course. She reads my financial column, and knows Gloria Romano, who always talks about my family and the neighborhood she grew up in. Gloria remembers the parrot my family had…and an accident I had.

Gloria was occasionally my babysitter.

I would love to see Gloria's brother, Genie Romano, again! Smart, calm, wise. I went to Columbia partly because Genie had gone there.

I spoke to Gloria. Genie had died. So had Johnny. But Rudy and Julio were in Florida. Russell was the black sheep of the family.

I was so sorry to hear about Genie.

Julio: I once threw a rock up in the air, and it hit Julio in the head, bloodying him. He assailed me, beating me with a rock. The Romano family complained to my family about me. But other kids had been throwing rocks up in the air….

Genie died six years ago, Gloria said.

Alice Olick and I were supposed to meet him for lunch maybe 10 years ago, and he backed out. Because he had gained weight? A common reason why people decline to see old friends.

I’ll show Gloria an article I wrote years ago, mentioning Genie. An article about Knucks, a card game we played as kids.

And Wednesday I’m having lunch with her.