The Shamrock Open - The Ides of March (619 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.75 on 14 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (View user info) at 2006-02-22 11:07:42 EST
I'm Irish.
Part Irish, anyway. 37.5% Irish to be exact. My grandfather on my Dad's side was off the boat, and his wife was half.
But when someone asks? I'm Irish. In my family, it's always been the dominant ethnicity. For most of us, genotypically, and for just about everyone else, in spirits. And by "spirits" I mean alcohol, not translucent apparitions. Thats just how it is.
My Grandfather was SO proud to be Irish. The only thing he loved more than Boston sports was the fact that he was from Ireland.
And he loved us. Whenever we grandchildren would go over the Grandparent's house for a holiday, or to be babysat, he'd entertain us with yelling at Celtics games, hustling us in bumper pool, and his stories of Ireland, relatives, and life.
--
My birth name was Cornelius Vincent O'Duinnin, but our surname was changed to Downing at Elis Island. I was too young to remember the trip over, but I do remember when we first arrived in South Boston. We were going to live with my Dad's cousins until he could find work. I was 4.
It was hard. There were seven of us kids living in one bedroom; we had to share a bed. Can you imagine that? Me and my three brothers, and our three second cousins in one bed.
We ate corned beef and cabbage a lot. Not just because it was delicious, but because corned beef was the cheapest meat you could find, and cabbage was the cheapest vegtable you could find. When the leftovers were done, we'd get soup made from the leftover stock. That was my favorite. Patatas, cabbage, and corned beef soup.
My cousins made fun of my brothers and me because we put butter on our corned beef when we had it. We did it because our father did it.
--
I put butter on my corned beef. Because my grandfather did it. And because it's delicious.
I remember the first time I did it. It was some family holiday at my grandparents' house, and I watched my grandfather butter up his meat. I asked him why he did it, and all he could say was "because my father did."
We'd watch Celtics games all the time together. We'd watch Sox, Pats, and Bruins games too, but the Celtics were Grandpa's favorite. Me, my two older cousins, my Dad, his brothers, and Grandpa. I remember from the 86 season on, but my Dad, uncles, and Grandpa had been watching much longer, from before the days of Bob Cousy and Bill Russell.
Even though I was young, I can still remember what it was like watching Parish back someone down in the paint, or McHale make one of his trademark no look passes to a streaking Ainge. Or watching Bird take control of a game. Even more seared in my memory, I can still remember Granpa's reaction to when things like that happened.
My grandfather died when I was 15. March 18th. He was sick. He admitted himself into a hospital in Providence on the 15th, when he noticed his skin was turning yellow. From liver disease.
I guess it's supposed to be ironic that he went into a coma on St Patrick's day, one that he never came out of, but I didn't see it that way. I still don't.
Sure, he may have drank too much, but when I think of the joy on his face as he danced around the living room with his face painted green singing Irish drinking songs, I don't care.
If I die from drinking, It will be sad, but if I live a life half as happy as my grandfather's, I won't be.
They may be weeds, but we planted them around his shamrock shaped gravestone anyway.
User Reviews
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-27 12:45:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ireland auto +2
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-02-23 17:03:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
retalitory -2!!!!!
what?
Submitted by MichelleNJ (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:33:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked it.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-02-23 00:42:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
For some reason, this really worked for me tonight.
Which isn't to say that it wouldn't on any other day, but I might be more inclined to give it a 1 instead of a 2 for structural choices or some other stylistic complaint.
Yet I think it's a touching portrayal of family and tradition. That, and the writing, is good enough for me.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2006-02-22 23:18:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I really liked this. Seemed like a pretty vivid summary of real life, without being boring or long or whatever.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-02-22 20:52:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Shlongy is great at tossing around random, semi-meaningless trivial bullshit to keep horseshit posts, like this one, alive and ticking.
"I'm your vehicle baby...I'll take you anywhere you wanna go...."
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2006-02-22 14:00:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
A +1 for Shlongy. That song has been hovering around the edges of my brain since I first read the titties..er titles.
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2006-02-22 13:59:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
It needed more.
Nice, but it could have really taken off.
Submitted by leilani (user info) at 2006-02-22 13:43:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
good but the disjointed thing isn't quite working for me here the way it should.
Submitted by Sphagnum (user info) at 2006-02-22 12:23:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Vehicle - The Ides of March.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-02-22 12:16:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
snot bad and I found it interesting so what the hell? +2
Submitted by PokeyPecker (user info) at 2006-02-22 11:39:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
So you're part Irish. The Taste of Monkey's is all Scotish. Alain Le Flamme is French Canadian. Circe is Australian.
I'm Texan/American/Irish. Big fucking whoop.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-02-22 11:38:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm interested to see if anyone knows why the following review is relevant:
Hey well, I'm a friendly stranger in a black Sedan
Won't you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, got candy, I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star
I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
But I'm not sure that you know
That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, got to have you, child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you
Well, if you wants to be a movie star,
I'll get a ticket to Hollywood
But if you want to stay just the way you are,
You know I think you really should
I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
But I'm not sure you know
That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, got to have you, child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you
Oh, you know I do
Hey well, I'm a friendly stranger in a black Sedan
Won't you hop inside my car?
I got pictures, candy, I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star
I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
But I'm not sure that you know
That I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, got to have ya
Great God in heaven, you know I love you
And I'm your vehicle, babe
You know I love ya (love ya)
I need ya (need ya)
I want ya, I got to have you, child
Great God in heaven, you know I love you
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-02-22 11:35:21 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
could have done this much better asshole.