[BILLY D.]

HEY FABS

MOST LIKELY WHEN YOUR PARENTS IMMIGRATED HERE THEY WERE COGNIZANT IN ENGLISH AND HAD A SPONSOR IN AMERICA ALREADY. ALSO SOMEONE TO TEACH THEM THE ROPES. THEY ALSO TRID TO BETTER THEMSELVES RESPECTIVLY BY LEARNING THE LANGUAGE. NOT VICE VERSA. I'LL ALSO BET THEY HAD PAPERS WHEN THEY LEFT THE HOME COUNTRY.

I CAN JUST IMAGINE WHAT RESPONSE YOU OR I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IF WE REQUESTED TO BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOL IN OUR PARENTS HOME LANGUAGE.

MY PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS IMMIGRATED IN '37. A LITTLE RELIGOUS PROBLEM, MY MOTHERS FAMILY IS JEWISH AND MY FATHERS CATHOLIC. THANK GOD I WAS BORN IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS ON THE WAY TO THIS COUNTRY. AT LEAST THE DOCTOR DOCUMENTED I WAS. I WAS THE ONLY CITIZEN IN THE FAMILY AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I WAS ALIVE YET.

WHEN I WAS IN THE FIRST GRADE, '44 WE ALWAYS SAID THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WHEN SCHOOL STARTED IN THE MORNING. THE PROPER? WAY TO RECITE THE PLEDGE WAS TO PLACE ONE HAND OVER YOUR HEART AND THE OTHER ARM WAS RAISED AND POINTED TO THE FLAG. I HAD SEEN THIS TYPE ACTION IN MOVIES FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY, NAZI GERMANY, AND ASKED MY TEACHER, A NUN WHY IF WE WERE AT WAR WITH GERMANY DID WE SALUTE LIKE THEY DID. BY THE TIME I WAS IN THE SECOND GRADE THAT WAS NOT THE MODUS OPERENDI ANY MORE. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK A LITTLE JEWISH KID FROM CLEVELAND HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT CHANGE IN POLICY. ALSO SISTER MARY RAYMOND SND. ONE DAY WE WERE OUTSIDE FOR RECESS PLAYING LIKE YOUNGINS DO AND THE WIND WAS BLOWING LIKE CRAZY. SHE TURNED AROUND TO SHOO US INSIDE AND THE WIND CAUGHT HER HABIT UNEXPCTEDLY AND BLEW IT OFF HER HEAD. SHE HAD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RED HAIR I'D EVER SEEN. SHE WAS KNOCKDOWN DRAG OUT DEAD GORGEOUS. SHE MADE RITA HAYWORTH LOOK LIKE A SLACKER. MY FIRST CASE OF PUPPY LOVE.


I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE COMING TO THIS COUNTRY TO ENJOY THE FREEDOMS AND LIFE STYLE WE HAVE BESTOWED ON US. BUT PLEASE DO IT BY THE BOOK, AND DON'T EXPECT US TO LEARN THEIR LANGUAGE. THERE MAY BE ANOTHER 1836 IN THE FUTURE.

NOW THAT I'VE GROUND MY AXE, I FEEL BETTER. THANK YOU.