Christmas on the Road

A Memory from Judy Tomaini Rock

The season was from around April to October. In the past several years it has gotten a lot longer, due to the lack of money coming in. It was not strange though to play a still date in a museum in the winter. The ones that needed the money could pick up quite a bit this way. When my parents were just starting out in marriage, and lived in Long Branch, NJ They played a few museums in New York City.

When they had made enough to hold them over they would come to Florida and never do a still date again, till the last one on the Million Dollar Pier, in Atlantic City, NJ. That was when I was around 5 and it would have been about 51'. After they retired my Dad always had public appearances lined up. And being a Mason and Shriner, he stayed real busy, but it was his labors of Love and he NEVER charged.

Mother also had her projects, but they were more to do with crippled children, and school. They would have both given their last bite of food or drink of water, to someone in need.

I have probably mentioned this before, but it was during the winter time as I remember it happened. My Dad was the fire chief here in Gibsonton, and he was at a house fire, of a family that lost everything they had. When he came back home he told Mother to go through my and my sisters clothes and also her blouses and coats and bring him some of our old toys too. He had one of the Camp workers help him load our living room furniture and dining room furniture, he also got beds out of some of the vacant cabins.

Mother never questioned what he was doing, she just did what she was told. He took several truck loads to this family, and had helped them find a place to live, and then took them to the grocery store, and bought them food. He then told Mother he was going to buy her new furniture, which he did. Not too many years back, a member of that family came to thank Mother again for what they did, so many years ago. It is the good memories like this that have helped to get me over this BIG bump in the road of my life.

Merry Christmas to all, and always remember the Reason for the Season.

R.I.P. HRH 1998

© 2005 Judy Tomaini Rock, All Rights Reserved

Published with the permission of Judy Tomaini Rock

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