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Ma Jacobs

by Laurie Montano

The picture of the kids of 592 reminded me of the story we have all heard over and over that dear Auntie loved to tell about my mother, Eileen, when she was a child. She liked to talk about how stubborn mom was as a baby, and what a little temper she had at times. Her favorite example of this, was one day when Auntie was walking her in her baby carriage, down the street in Brooklyn, and along came Ma Jacobs. [I will need some help from Mom or Uncle Art here about who exactly Ma Jacobs was, but I know she was someone very respected in the neighborhood.] Ma Jacobs leaned over to peek into the baby carriage at my mother to baby talk to her and tell her how cute she was, and my mother stuck out her tongue at her! Auntie was horrified, and quickly covered this by saying, "Oh, she's teething!"

This became a classic story that whenever we came to visit, we expected to hear at least once. 

Comments

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"Haha . . . I like it :)"

by Michael Kane 

"There were so many great stories. And because Auntie told them with such flair, I think we loved them. I liked the one about Junior Norman being Aunt Beth's tutor. Also the one about your great-grandmother putting rouge on the holy statues when they looked a little faded rather than throwing them away."

by Beth Kane 

"And the one about Tanta sending Mary Beth down into the basement like the canary into the coal mine. By the way? Who had the imaginary goat in the basement that they would feed carrots to?"

by Elizabeth Kane 

"You mean, "WHO DOWN THERE?" I forgot about that one. My mom was the one with the goat, I'm pretty sure."

by Laurie Montano 

"Ma Jacobs was a very old lady. She sat on her upstairs front porch, and I think Auntie asked me to say hello as we went by in the stroller. Ma Jacobs was a devout Christian Scientist. ( As I look upon it now, I wish I had gotten to know her and hear about her beliefs. But, I was probably only two or three years old). Believe it or not, I do vaguely remember this incident. Auntie and Mom were very congenial, and wanted us to be very polite to our neighbors. I did rebel, on occasion, and this was a good example. My cousin, Marybeth, was always very sweet to all, but she did go into the Jacobs backyard occasionally, and pick a beautiful rose which she brought home to Auntie. We all have our ways with dealing with things! "

by Eileen Montano 

"By the way, about the cellar story. My Uncle Charlie asked me once if I had any pets. I told him, yes, I had a goat in the cellar. He said, "what does he eat?" I said, "Venetian blinds"."

by Eileen Montano