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Blogs by Russell A Vassallo
Painting Cars 9/5/2016 5:40:35 AM
The phrase "partners in crime" was designed for me and my cousin, Peggy. As six,and a bit older than she was, I came up with the ideas and she dutifully followed along. On one particular occasion, my Uncle John was been ordered to paint my grandfather's house in Newark. It was a wood frame home that needed repainting every four years because of the industrial pollution,. My grandfather selected a warm red for the color, and Johnny was outside painting when he was called for lunch. Italian lunches are long enough for anyone to get into trouble.
Parked alongside the curb was my grandfather's brand new convertible Chrysler, shiny black with whitewalls and a satin cream colored convertible top.
To a six-year-old, it looked dirty so, the can of paint being opened, my cousin and I decided we would surprise Grandpa by painting the top of his car. Well, in truth, it was my idea.
We were about three quarters finished when lunch ended, and the family came out to enjoy the breeze coming in from Newark Bay. My grandfather's jaw nearly hit the ground when he saw the top of his new car. Smeared with paint, my cousin and I climbed down to receive our praise. Despite the fact that he was a Mafia leader, my grandfather did not blame us. His love of children would not permit that. But my Uncle John got a lot of "why?" did you leave the paint cane open with young children around, especially Russell and Peggy. My Uncle did not have an answer. Of course, he never expected us to come up with such an idea. For years the episode became a legend: "Remember the time you and Peggy painted Grandpa's car?"
Of course we remembered. Who else but the two of us would come up with such a noble and time-defying idea?
