It was March of 1990, three months before I even joined the corps. I was with the Lambertville Volunteers doing a parade in Seaside, New Jersey, as were the Sunrisers.
After the parade, both corps decided to get together and go to the Saw Mill Cafe on the Boardwalk. So, needless to say, we were all having a good time and a few drinks among friends. I walked up to Larry Visconti, whom I had just met before the parade. He was talking to some people and as I approached, he turned to look at me and in the middle of the conversation he was having (not that I have any clue what that conversation was about,) he called me a tramp.
Well, not knowing him as I do now, along with not knowing what he was talking about, I questioned his calling me a tramp, when he repeated it, I did the first thing that came to my mind … I slapped him across the face!!!
Not bad for a non-rookie, huh? Of course, I found out later that he wasn't calling me a tramp, but was using it as an example in his conversation. Sorry, Larry!!!!
Stan and I had a party at our apartment in Morrisville, PA in September, 1991. We tried to get as many alumni there as we could, and made it a weekend party (except for Dave DeAndrea, who came over on Friday, and we’re not sure when he left)!! Well, most of the people came over on Saturday. We soon ran out of beer (what a surprise), and Donna Campbell and I went to get another keg. Upon our arrival with the new keg, amidst all the noise, music and stuff going on, wasn’t I happy to find Jimmy Calogianes - who had found the fire extinguisher. That wasn’t enough – he then decided to prepare the apartment for fire. He sprayed EVERYTHING! He just wanted to be sure nothing caught fire during the party! Thanx Jimmy!!!
Back in 1994, I left my car home so that Kenny Mooney or Brian Woods could drive it to rehearsal the next day, since I would not be able to drive them. I was already up near rehearsal.
The Friday night before rehearsal, I was leaving the house - I gave explicit instructions to these kids as to the use of my car. They were, and I quote: “The car is ONLY to be used to go to the store if needed tonight. I left it only so you two could make it to rehearsal tomorrow!”
So upon my arrival at the Holiday Inn in Raritan Center around midnight, I was surprised to get a phone message from Ray “Mr. Low” Yenshaw, who was living with Stan and me at the time. He wanted to know if I had given permission for Kenny to use the car since it was this late and Kenny and my car were no where to be found.
The next morning at 7AM, 5 hours before rehearsal, Ray calls to tell me that he just picked up Kenny at the train station in Trenton, NJ. “Where is my car??” I asked rather angrily. Ray’s response was “Kenny picked up his girlfriend in Trenton, went to NYC, and got the car towed!”
Anyone that knows me knows that it was very lucky for Kenny that I had 5 hours to try to calm down before seeing him. At rehearsal, we were all waiting for rehearsal to begin, standing around Stan’s truck, when Ray’s car comes pulling in. Next thing I knew, the entire corps had moved back away from me because Kenny was in the car.
I was courteous enough to walk Kenny away from the rest of the corps so I could explain to him what he had done, and try to find out why he took the car in the first place (not that it mattered, they heard every word anyway)!!
In the end, the car was retrieved, and I didn’t have pay a dime for the tickets or the towing.
Patty Cicchino, Horn Line, 1990 to ...?
