Monday, June 2, 2008

Then & Now

Princess Homecoming graduates this week and our house has been inundated with invitations to graduation parties. Got me thinking of my graduation gift. Mother and Dad got me an AM/FM portable radio. Probably 10" X 8" X 2 ". Listened to it all summer cementing basements in North Philly with Mike Galvin. Used it for years. Worked great on the dash of my '58 Chevy too. Got all the new FM stations loud and clear. Gerry brought me home a Seiko watch from Viet Nam. Self winding, 17 jewels. Still have it. Still works. Had the crystal replaced 25 years ago. 8 years ago a jeweler saw it on my wrist and said, "One of the best watches ever made. Don't ever get rid of it." The jeweler was a Russian guy from Rochester Hills, MI named Effem . How's that for a name? He honestly offered me a "cheap" used Rolex for it. 40 years and still ticking. Thanks Pea. The rest of you must have stiffed me, I can't remember getting anything from you. Not too late to make up for it. You have my address. Don't send a watch; I have one. Don't send an AM/FM, have one of those too. Don't send a Work Sharp have one.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does "Effem" have a brother named "Aayem"??? Yo Yo Mutha Grabbin' MA!!!

Anonymous said...

You always were the SPOILED one, Slim!

Anonymous said...

I once got cowboy boots...they went to the wrong brother though...you'll get a belated b'day gift, when I get my belated Boots...

Anonymous said...

Boots you say??? The boots I NEVER got to wear? The boots you wore up to the Blvd construction site and got them all muddy and wet and then you snuck them next to the basement heater to dry for a few days? Those boots? The boots that curled up like pixie shoes???? Those boots that I NEVER got to wear? Or is there another brother, another pair of boots and another story?

Anonymous said...

Trivia question. Which McKendry sibling got the only new bike dad ever bought. Oh, check that, trivia question # 2, which grandchild did Dad buy a new bike for?

Anonymous said...

He actually bought new bikes for Christopher AND Anna - they were so excited when they arrived!

Anonymous said...

I think I'm the one he bought a new bike for. A Royce Union...a beauty. It was stolen from outside a drug store that I wondered into on Fifth St. I think the owner asked me to move boxes to his cellar. About 3 hours later, I walked outside and the bike was gone. I was very naive. Dad was very understanding and offered to replace it with another new bike. I told him I didn't deserve it. "Get something for Timmy instead", I told him.

Anonymous said...

Brother John got the "English Racer" it was Black...I thought I was going to get the Red one. No such Luck. Intead, Timmy got a Gold Edged Immaculate Conception Medalion ! He was always into BLING !!!!