It was the summer of 1964 in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  Many families packed their yellow and blue beach umbrellas, red coolers, and colorful beach towels and headed to Seaside Park.   Some families spent the day sitting in the shade at Beardsley Park as they laughed and ate their favorite picnic foods while other families packed their green tents, fishing poles, and transistor radios as they planned their trips to the beautiful campgrounds in New England.  They all looked forward to sitting around the campfire and talked about the “fish that got away.”

However, things were different at Gus Curcio’s house. “Did you pack my favorite shirt?,” Gus Curcio, Sr asked his wife, Enrica Rita.  “Yes, I have packed almost everything,” she responded.  “I just have to pack a few more things,” she said, as she walked down the hallway to her son’s room, Gus Curcio, Jr.   Enrica Rita picked up a few of the neatly folded shorts and shirts and placed them into a large suitcase.  The Curcio suitcases were bulging with clothes, shoes, belts, and especially Gus Jr’s Speedo shorts.  Gus, Jr stared at the Speedo shorts. His eyes widened as he thought, “Oh no, not the Speedo shorts!.”   Gus, Jr told me that he was in the 7^th grade back then. He was 5’ 7” and weighed 130 pounds.  I began to chuckle as I tried to envision Gus, Jr wearing Speedo shorts.  His wife, Julia, looked at Gus and said, “You must have been adorable in those Speedo shorts.”  

Gus’ parents zippered their suitcases and placed their passports in their leather passport holders.  “What do you want to eat for dinner tonight,?” Enrica Rita asked her husband.  “I am in the mood for a slice of spaghetti pie,” he said.  “Do we have any of the pie left over from lunch today?,” he asked.  Enrica Rita cut 3 big slices of spaghetti pie and took out a plate of Italian pastry from the refrigerator.   Later that night, Gus, Jr layed in his bed and felt excited about their 8 day journey aboard the ship.  “We took an 8 day journey aboard the Leonardo Davinci. My relatives gave us a big send off that day,” Gus said.

“What do you remember the most about your trip?” I asked Gus, Jr. He told me that he remembered walking around the ship with his cousin, Claire.  Just as Gus, Jr started to talk about this part of the story, our waitress walked over to the table with clams casino, fresh string beans with sliced grape tomatoes, black olives and olive oil. For a moment, I had forgotten that it was September because it actually felt like Christmas Day.  At Angelo’s Restaurant, it felt like Christmas Day as the aroma of clams casino, pasta, and garlic filled the room.   The “al dente pasta” made me put down my pen and journal.  Usually, I am able to focus on my writing no matter where I am, but when that food was delivered to the table, I just could not keep my eyes off it.   I looked at Julia and said, “I guess I will spend a few hours on the treadmill tomorrow.”

I got back to reality after being hypnotized by the food at Angelo’s.  As I gazed at the tasteful décor of Angelo’s restaurant, I was able to envision a family party or gathering.  The hardwood floors and glistening chandeliers made my mind wander.  “This would be the perfect place for a traditional, family party,” I thought to myself.  I liked the fact that the tables are far apart for privacy, yet close enough to smile and chat with others who are sitting at another table.

“So, what was the Leonardo Davinci like,?” I asked Gus, Jr.   Gus told me that he walked around the ship with his cousin. They wanted to explore it.  Claire and Gus, Jr  let their hands dangle on the side of the boat. They sat on some of the lounge chairs and watched some of the staff walk around the ship wearing  their uniforms.   Suddenly, the sound of the horn blared as a signal that the ship would be departing momentarily.  “Claire, you better go. The ship is going to leave!,”  Gus said. It would have been exciting if Claire would have been able to manage to hide on the boat and go to Italy, too, but reality sank in and Claire finally got off the ship.   If she had stayed any longer, she would have been “smuggled” into Italy.

“Oh, no!,”  I thought to myself. “What is that?” I asked.   The waitress brought an oval plate filled with filet mignon, and russet, roasted potatoes.   I thought to myself, “My usual interview for a story takes about an hour, but I have a feeling that tonight, my interview with Gus, Jr and Julia would last at least 3 or 4 hours!”   I started to calculate how many miles I would need to walk the next day in addition to going on the treadmill.  “Now, this is just like an Italian house,” I thought to myself.    “Angelo’s restaurant is a home away from home. It reminded me of my mother’s house or my visits with my aunts and uncles.  Once you are there, you just never want to leave. Most importantly, I felt welcome there. Although Gus and Julia were sitting with their friends, they made room for me and treated me warmly.   As I bit into the juicy filet mignon,  I thought I heard Christmas carols in the background.  What a delicious feast!  Instead of my platform shoes and black dress, I should have worn gym pants with an elastic band, a sweatshirt, and sneakers. Actually, I was so comfortable at Angelo’s, it was similar to being curled up in a recliner!

After I took the last bite of my filet mignon, Gus, Jr and I focused on his story.  Everyone knows how much I love to talk.  Talking, writing, and eating really made my night special. Most of all, I was sitting at a table with friendly people who had shared their special memories with me.  Gus, Jr continued to tell me about his journey on the Leonardo Davinci.  One afternoon, Gus, Jr, roamed around the ship.  His eyes lit up as he noticed a ping pong table. “I remember playing ping pong with a boy named “Tuffy,  he said. Gus, Jr hit the ping pong ball back and forth to Tuffy.  The sound of the ball bouncing on the ping pong table echoed on the ship.  One day, Gus, Jr heard, a voice saying, “Inspector Clouseau…”  It was the sound of the original Pink Panther movie. He remembered watching the movie on the ship.

After Gus, Jr arrived in Italy, he spent time with his relatives.  “We spent three weeks at my mother’s uncle’s house in Modica,” he told me.   Gus Jr sat the kitchen table and ate sausage, meatballs, veal saltimbocca, and broccoli rabe.   Just when he thought he was finished, a tray of cannoli, fresh fruit, and cookies were placed in the center of the table.   He sat next to his cousin as the gentle breezes blew into the kitchen from the balcony. “No, no….v-e-r-d-u-r-a…Gus repeated the word, “verdura,” or “vegetable.”  “C-a-m-i-n-a-r-e…”  Gus, Jr repeated again,  which means to walk.    His cousin taught him how to speak Italian.  “P-o-m-o-d-o-r--o…” Gus, Jr said as his cousin pointed to a tomato on the table.  They continued their Italian lessons until the sunset.

Meanwhile, Gus Sr was just a few feet away.   He said, “Giacomo, ask your sister if her husband will be able to drive us through Sicily. We plan to take a ferry boat from Sicily, but we need a driver. If he is interested, we will pay him, of course.”  Just a few moments later, it was all arranged.  

“What else do you remember?” I asked.   Gus, Jr smiled and said, “I remember visiting one of my cousins in Italy. She was 18 months old.   As soon as I saw her, she touched my face gently and said, “Cara, cara, cara.”  Gus Jr thought to himself, “What an adorable baby.”  All of a sudden, “Whack!”  Gus, Jr was shocked!  The adorable baby who was stroking his face gently slapped him across the face, without warning! He will always remember that day.

I could tell by the look on Gus’ face that he had a ton of stories to tell me.  One night, Gus’ father took out his wallet and started to count his lira so he could pay the check. He looked at the receipt. "Due bottiglia di vino, antipasto, zuppa di pesce…” He paid the bill and the tip. Later that evening, fireworks went off as Gus’ father started to yell.  Gus’ father had found out that he had been double tipping.  The tip was already included in the bill at the restaurants in Italy.  Each time he had eaten out, he paid the bill plus a tip. No one told him that the tip was already included!   Gus said, “He got so mad, he ended up firing our driver!”  He had wished that the driver had told him that!  The words, “I paid the tip twice during this entire trip so far!” echoed down the cobblestone streets.

A few days later, there were  7^th grade girls walking on Lido Beach.  They giggled, smiled and walked along the ocean.  Some of the older women were wearing big, straw, stylish beach hats as they sipped cold glasses of aranciata.  The waves crashed against the rocks as a few teenage boys dived into the water.  It was a perfect day on Lido beach with the fresh, salty air and clear blue sky.  All of a sudden, the young girls that were walking near the water looked up at the shore. They started to wave and giggle. “Who is that over there?” one of the girls asked. “He must be an American,” the other girl said.  Some of the other girls could not figure out who they were looking at.  Among the silky sand and beautiful ocean waves was Gus Jr, wearing his Speedo shorts. 

I enjoyed hearing about his trip on the Leonardo Davinci and his journey through Italy.   However, at that point, I became curious about his family life in Bridgeport.   “If I looked through the kitchen window of your house back in Bridgeport, what would I see,?” I asked.  Gus Jr said that I would see his mother’s spaghetti pie, which is made with ricotta, sugar, and eggs. He glanced at his wife, Julia and said that Julia could give me the exact recipe.   I’ve never heard of spaghetti pie, but it sounded delicious as he mentioned some of the ingredients.  Gus Jr told me that he remembered the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve.  “Did your family play cards or sing Christmas songs,?” I asked.   Gus Jr said, “No, all we did was eat and drink. That was it.” I envisioned bottles of Sambucca, wine, cannoli, Italian cookies from the local bakery, fresh vegetables, and other foods.   One of Gus’ friends who was sitting at our table reminded him that I would have seen Gus’ 1971  455 Grandsport in the driveway.  Also, Gus told me that I would have heard his father saying, “What do you do when the rent comes due?”  This was one of his father’s favorite sayings.   It was his way of saying, “How will you pay your bills or buy the things that you need?” 

I glanced over at Julia and I asked, “How did the two of you meet?.”   Her eyes radiated love and warmth as she told me about the first time she saw Gus Jr.    “I was visiting my friend, Tony. He put the dog, which was a Doberman, in the basement and the Boa Snake into the tank. He had to go out to run an errand, so I waited at the house by myself.”  Meanwhile, Gus and his friends drove around after eating at a local Italian restaurant. “I wonder what Tony is up to tonight,” one of Gus’ friends said.  “Let’s see what he is doing,” another friend said.  They pulled up in front of Tony’s house. Gus and three of his friends were well dressed, wearing long, black, cashmere coats.  Their Italian leather shoes echoed as they walked down the driveway.  “I remember the serious look on Gus’ face as he walked into the house. He was 27 years old and I remember his black, cashmere coat.  I felt secure,” Julia said. As a matter of fact, Julia added that after they became friends, she felt secure whenever he was around.  Julia said that she and Gus were friends for 5 years. They never dated and they were just friends. It was an innocent friendship. Sometimes, Julia would hang out with Gus by “The Wall” in Stratford CT.

Julia told me that she had gone to a psychic one day.   She sat across the table from the psychic as the psychic   gently took Julia’s hand and looked at her palm. She explained that Gus is the man who loves her.   “He was a bachelor, so while we were friends, I had to show him how to fold sheets,” Julia said. Gus looked at Julia and said, “You were a bear hunter laying traps,” he said, jokingly.  This was Gus’ playful way of saying that she chased after him during their friendship, or found ways to pursue him. 

Gus’ friends and family adored Julia, especially his parents.   She remembers walking into his parents’ house. They watched the Gracie Allen show as they ate Peanut Brittle candy and orange creamsicles.  One evening, Gus Jr finished eating a sausage and pepper grinder. Just as he took his last bite, his parents said, “Why don’t you call Julia and ask her to come over?.”   Although Gus had other plans that night, he invited Julia over to the house.   Everyone encouraged Julia and Gus to spend time together.   However, Julia mentioned that Gus was a carefree bachelor who was not ready to settle down at that time.  She remembers the way he used to go grocery shopping with his friends.   They walked down each aisle, picked up packages of food, and would toss it over the tops of the shelves into the carriage that was in the next aisle.  The employees at the supermarket noticed boxes of pasta and cereal being tossed into the air. Also, they saw a loaf of bread floating up into the air. “There’s that guy again. He always comes in here with his friends.  Check out the way he throws the packages over the tops of the shelves,” the employees said. They laughed as they watched Gus go down each aisle with his unique style of grocery shopping.

Although Julia and Gus remained friends for a while, things changed in 1983.  “I think Julia should come on this trip,” Gus’ parents said as they sat around the dining room table. They were going on a trip to Hawaii, Palm Springs, and Las Vegas.  Julia earned a lot of bonus points. Gus’ friends and parents liked her.  Julia told me that she remembered visiting her grandmother in Easton, CT. She opened the door and sat next to her grandmother as she said, “Grandma, Gus and his parents want me to take a vacation with them. They are going to Hawaii, Palm Springs, and Las Vegas.”  Her grandmother told her, “Do whatever you want. If you want to go, then go.” It was that simple.  During the next few days, Julia looked through her closet and pulled out her sundresses, skirts, and sandals.   She spent time at the mall looking for the right shoes and make up. However, one evening, Julia had a conversation with Gus’ father. “Please do not expect anything from him,” Gus’ father said. He was referring to the fact that Gus was a bachelor and enjoyed his freedom as a single man.  Julia understood and smiled. She just appreciated being with Gus and wanted to continue her friendship with him.   She went home and tried on her dresses and organized her suitcase for her trip.

I never thought that an airplane could be such a romantic place.  Gus put his duffle bag into the overhead compartment and sat next to Julia.   She combed her hair and sat calmly as she looked out of the airplane window.  She was happy to be with Gus and enjoyed flirting with him. Although they were friends, she did flirt with him playfully.  She put her hand on his leg and smiled.  Although she had done this in the past, he never responded to it.  However, this time, he took her hand.  Their friendship had transitioned into romance.   They enjoyed the streets of Las Vegas as they walked hand in hand as the bright lights and neon signs were shining.    Also, they spent time with Gus’ parents as they  enjoyed the shows in Las Vegas.   Julia and Gus sat at an outdoor restaurant in Hawaii and enjoyed the music in Hawaii. The band played on the beach as Julia drank her favorite tropical drink.

Julia and Gus have been in love from the first day they met. They radiate energy and love  and they “balance each other out.”  Also, Julia explained that she had a happy childhood. She said that she remembers growing up in an Italian American family which was filled with warmth, patience, and understanding.  This carried over into her relationship with Gus. She has a special bond with Gus. “We are always there for each other,” she said. “We are each other’s backbone,” she added.  Her memories of her own family and the warmth of Gus’ family is the basis of their strong relationship.  Gus spoke from his heart when he said, “I don’t think you know who you are unless you know where you came from,” he mentioned.

Attorney Bill Varese listened to the conversation.  I asked Bill how he remains close to his Italian traditions or to share something from his heart. He said that he “Prays for strength to persevere.” I asked him, “How do you want to keep the traditions alive in your family?,” I asked. Bill’s sense of pride and the importance of staying close to his Italians roots was obvious when he said, “Stay close to each other, that’ s all that counts.”

I asked Gus to speak from his heart again about the importance of staying close to his roots.  He said that he had not travelled as much as he should have when he was between the ages of 21 and 35. “How stupid was I?” he asked.  Gus’ message was, “Don’t wait. Travel as soon as you can.”  He mentioned that he started to reflect on his life and had a strong desire to connect with his roots. This prompted him to take a trip to Avellino, Positano, and Taormina, Sicily just a few years ago with Julia and his friends.    “Tony, Greg, Bill, and their wives came with us,” Gus said.  They rented a beautiful villa in Taormina, walked down the elegant streets of Taormina and past the aquamarine waters of the ocean as the mist caressed their faces. The breath taking views of the ocean, terracotta rooftops, and ancient buildings are etched in his heart.

Gus and his friends told me about a van which they had rented while they were in Italy.   They slid into the seats of the car and put their sunglasses on as they went up a steep hill to the villa which they had rented.  Julia said that she did not realize how high up it was.  “I felt like I was in the clouds,” she said.  “I can’t believe we are going up this steep, narrow road.  We are so high up!” one of the women said as a tear rolled down her face.  They heard the crunching sound of the gravel under the tires of the van as they drove up the steep hill. There was a beautiful and exhilarating view! They will always remember the mountainous views, narrow roads, and shops.

One evening, during dinner at the villa, Gus enjoyed his wine.   After a couple of glasses of wine or liquor, Gus said that he “howls.” I started to laugh when he made the sound of a cayote at the table.  However, when he was in Italy, something unusual happened.  Gus howled as he usually does after a couple of drinks.  A 24 year old woman actually howled back at him! He looked around the table that night at his friends as they heard the female howling back at him. 

Suddenly, the conversation shifted to Bill. I got the impression that he is the “prankster” in the group. He has a good sense of humor and often plays jokes on his friends.  One evening, he pretended that his finger had gotten caught in the refrigerator. He screamed, “Owwww, my finger! It’s caught!” They all went to help him and just as they had gotten closer to him, Bill started to laugh.  “I am only kidding,” he said. He can  pull a good joke on anyone!

One night, they got into a taxi cab in Taormina. Bill opened the car door and yelled, “My finger, I slammed the door on my finger!!” . He screamed with agony.  “That’s a good one, Bill,” They all said. They started to laugh. “Look at him, he’s getting good at this.” They stared at him and laughed.  No one tried to help him. They just laughed and laughed. Finally, they realized that this time it was real! They felt badly that he was really injured and all they did was laugh at him.  Another day, Gus was illegally parked on a hill in Taormina.  He had to pay cash to have the boot removed from his car. After he returned to the states, he received a ticket in the mail, so he had to pay it again!

Gus travelled to the Province of Avellino. He walked into the town hall and asked the clerk to assist him. He explained that he wanted a copy of his grandfather’s documents. Gus was connecting to his roots as he asked the clerk to research his grandfather’s documents.  Finally, he received the birth certificate from 1880.  “After I received his birth certificate, I wanted to investigate more.” He learned that his grandfather was a Customs Agent.  Although his trip was filled with good food, wine, laughter, and quality time with his wife and friends, in my eyes, the most important part of the trip was Gus’ thirst for seeking answers about his roots, walking down the same streets as his grandfather, and exploring his family’s beautiful country.  Also, he said that after his parents passed away, he reflected about his life even more.  Additionally, his wife had successfully undergone surgery, which increased his desire to travel, explore Italy, and research his family roots.

The story took an interesting turn. I was surprised to hear about Gus’ creative cooking skills. His stove was broken one night and he could not find anyone to fix it.  Also, his new stove had not been delivered yet. However, he did not let a broken stove stop and lack of an oven stop him from cooking the Italian foods that he enjoys, such as spinach.  Additionally, I learned that  he actually knows how to cook chopped tomatoes, garlic and olive oil without using a stove.  He was a bachelor, yet determined to do his own cooking in spite of the fact that his stove was not working.  There was a snowstorm that night, so he could not get to a store or restaurant.  None of the restaurants would be able to deliver food, so he had to get creative.  He explained that he put the chopped tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil in a can. Next, he flipped the iron over, found a way to place the iron in a steady position, and placed the can on top of the iron. Although it took several hours for it to simmer on the iron, the aroma filled the room and it tasted delicious. He looked in his refrigerator and saw spinach.  He put the spinach in a can with olive oil and garlic.  Then, he placed the can on top of a light fixture.  The spinach simmered overnight.  

Gus started to look tired.  I think it is because I talk too much. The fact is I felt like I could have talked for hours.  Gus and Julia are a great team.  I could not leave until I asked a couple more questions.“What made you decide to buy a restaurant?” I asked Gus. He said that his wife was travelling in California with their daughter. He told his wife over the telephone that he had bought Angelo’s restaurant.  Buying a restaurant was a dream for Gus.    Julia was shocked. “You bought a restaurant?,” She said.

After the feeling of shock had faded, Julia and Gus told me that they remodeled Angelo’s “little by little.” Gus said that he remembers the “Copacabana” and the “Latin Quarter.”  He hopes to recreate the same atmosphere at Angelo’s. 

Just before I had left, Julia mentioned that her family is important to her. “They always feel my love,” she said.  They know that they are important to me.” I will always remember the special memories that I heard at Gus’ and Julia’s table.

If I could sketch images to represent Julia’s and Gus’ lives, I would sketch Gus, with his black cashmere coat, which he had worn the night that he met Julia.  Also, I would sketch the bright signs of Las Vegas, the Palm trees of Palm Beach, and the ocean waves of Hawaii to symbolize the trip which brought Julia and Gus together as a couple.  Additionally, I would sketch the Villa in Taormina as well as the aquamarine ocean, and the town hall in Avellino. The town hall symbolizes the place where Gus located his grandfather’s birth certificate and connected to his roots.  Also, I would sketch “The Wall” along the beach in Stratford, CT where Julia had spent her carefree days.  At the top of the sketch, I would draw her grandchildren playing board games at her kitchen table, next to a sketch of Angelo’s restaurant.   Finally, I would sketch a rose next to a drawing of Gus parents, sitting next to Julia in their living room. Most importantly, I would sketch Julia and Gus embracing each other to symbolize all of the challenges they confronted together as well as their love for each other.

Author's note: Julia and Gus have consented and granted me the authority to use the story, comments, information, events, memories and experiences, factually and fictionally, on my website and in my upcoming book, "Slice of Life," Collective Memoirs

 Joanna M. Leone