Albin - 3. Chapter 3

Life in Pittsburgh seemed to return to how it had been back in their Italian village before they moved to America. Saturday night was men’s night, and Sunday was family day. As the children grew older, they began participating actively in these activities.

Victoria was the first of Angelo and Giulia's children to marry, and soon she had three children. The oldest was a girl, named Dora. She was followed by two boys, Louis and Theodore.

When Theodore, now called Teddy, was 5, Victoria’s husband and some friends were involved in the accidental death of a young girl. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Angelo was furious with Victoria’s husband. He had ruined her family and cast a bad shadow on Angelo's “famiglia”. Angelo told Giulia if they were back in Italy the man would be dead.

Now, Victoria had no income. She struggled to make ends meet by selling a few vegetables from her garden and was helped by her parents and older brother Gene who helped financially and would deliver food baskets on Sundays.

On the surface, it appeared that all was right with Victoria’s world. To help their mom cope, Dora and Louis gave her a little money when they could.

With money still being a concern, she wasn’t careful about the backgrounds of her boarders. One was a 35-year-old man who didn’t have a good reputation. But he paid well and so she ignored his reputation.

When Teddy was 10, the man began to show an interest in Teddy. Over time he showed him magazines he had bought on the black market that had photos of naked men and women in various poses. He would show more photos to Teddy, explaining what Teddy saw and that it was a secret. Eventually, he showed him photos of naked boys and men. Over the next two years, the boarder showed Teddy more naked picture books to try and get him interested.

One day, unknown to anyone, Teddy's ‘Nonna’ ('grandmother’) Giulia dropped by to deliver some groceries. As she walked into the kitchen, she heard voices upstairs. Wondering who Teddy was talking to, she walked upstairs and opened Teddy's bedroom door to see the older man with no shirt on, with his arm around Teddy showing him more naked photos of boys and magazines on the bed.

Giulia told Teddy to go downstairs and call his Uncle Gene to come with the police. The border pulled on his shirt and tried to get past Giulia, but she refused to move and if looks could kill, he'd already be “morto”.

When police arrived, the boarder was cowering in a corner, terrified by the look in Giulia's eyes.

Once arrested, the man was tried in court, found guilty, and sentenced to jail. Within a year, he was found dead in his cell. But the damage was done.

The years passed and when Dora was seventeen she married a young man who built a house for her on his father’s property. Dora had a son she named after her husband, Don.

As Pittsburgh grew, an increased need for skilled tradespeople saw vocational skills apprentice programs included in 'technical’ high schools. Louis was now a serious student in one such high school. After graduating, he got a job working in a factory that made wooden crates. There he met a young lady and soon he too was married.

Victoria and Teddy made it to Angelo and Giulia’s home on Sundays, only when Gene picked them up. Victoria looked forward to these trips as she always went home with eggs, and sometimes a chicken, and vegetables from Angelo’s garden.

On special occasions and holidays, Dora, Don, and family along with Louis and his girlfriend would attend one of the Sunday gatherings.

In 1920 Gene bought a Ford Model T flatbed truck version for work use and would use fold-down seats in the back to transport family. The horse and buggy were retired. That was also the year Gene got married and moved into his own home about 3 miles from Angelo and Giulia.

Gene's younger sister Marie had graduated from public school and was now attending high school about a 30-minute walk from home. Gene liked to drive his truck, and on occasions, he would either drive Marie to school or pick her up after 4 pm. Gene's youngest brother Victor, 7, was in elementary school when Marie began high school.

Marie was a product of the times. She was determined to find a job when she finished high school and become independent. Victoria's experiences had taught her a life lesson. With these goals in mind, Marie studied math, learned how to use a typewriter, and learned shorthand. In her mind, these were the tools necessary to be a secretary.

During her final year, a young man from Sweden named Lars joined her class. He was tall, with blond hair and blue eyes. His dad worked for a construction company in Sweden that had expanded their operations into the United States. The growth of Pittsburgh had created a need for more commercial and residential buildings. This was noted by his father's company, which began work on a new high-rise apartment building being built close to the high school.

After graduating from high school, Marie got a job in the office of a nearby small company along with two other girls. The company produced cloth made from cotton bolls received from the South. A nearby older large 2-story house was converted into 4 apartments, 2 per floor. Marie rented one of those apartments upon graduating from High School.

After graduating from high school, Marie got a job in the office of a nearby small company along with two or her girls. The company produced cloth made from cotton grown in southern states like Texas, Georgia, and Arkansas. They spun it into thread, wove the thread into rolls of cloth, and added a dying operation to produce cloth in different colors.

Needing a place to live that was close to work, Marie found an apartment in the old converted building was available, which she rented and moved in. Marie's apartment had two rooms separated by a bathroom. There was one large room, with a kitchen at one end, and living space on the other end. For Marie this was perfect. She could walk to work, there was also a mom and pop grocery store close to the apartment where she could shop.

That winter seemed colder than normal and she didn’t make it to her parents home for Sunday dinners as often as she would have liked. Gene came for her on occasions and sometimes she would go home on a Saturday and return to her apartment on Sunday evening.

It was one of these weekends on a spring day, when everything seemed to be going well. Marie was going to her office when she noticed a young man waiting to see the boss. Looking closer, she recognized this young man. “Lars, what are you doing here? I heard you went to work for your dad.”

“I did,” said Lars, “but it was mostly outside work and this winter was cold. So I am here to apply for a job.”

“I thought you would be used to the cold. Isn’t Sweden a cold country?” “Yes, but I didn’t have to work outside there.”
“When you fill out your application, put my name as a reference.”

Marie thought about this young man that day at work. Lars did get the job, he would start the following day. Grateful for Marie’s help, he asked her on a date. Marie had never been on a date with a young man. At first, she

was hesitant but the girl who also worked in the office told her to go and have fun. Marie did and what she thought would be a one-time affair, turned into several dates. Friday night became date night.

Marie and Lars dated for several months before she took him home to meet her family. Her brothers welcomed Lars, especially her younger brother, Victor. Giulia smiled when she met him, another blond, blue-eyed person.

After 1912 some rumors reminded Angelo of the warning told to him by the Grandmother of his village in Italy back in 1880. As newspapers carried stories of unrest in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson went on the record saying that what happened in Europe would not affect the US. In 1913, he changed his mind and began to recruit young men for the army. Victor enlisted for the navy, as he didn’t envision himself marching all over Europe. Lars received a letter from Sweden telling him to report for training.

When Lars received that letter, he asked Marie to marry him. She agreed and they were married two weeks before Lars enlisted in the US Army. He notified the Swedish government he was married and had enlisted in the US Army.

Not only did the lives of many people change, but the plant where Marie and Lars worked changed as well. The fabric they produced was now a greenish cloth for Government use. The cloth was used to manufacture military uniforms.