Hospitality
My thanks to the Rev. Peter D'Angio and the people at St. Luke's in Scranton who welcomed me to their 5 p. m. service on Saturday evening. They know how to make a newcomer feel at home. Father Peter, who is new to the parish, greeted me near the door when I arrived, and two members of the congregation engaged me in conversation after the service. Were I not an out-of-town visitor, I don't doubt that I'd be receiving a follow-up phone call this week. I look forward to going back there again, the next time I visit my folks.
Any news of parish hospitality is so encouraging,and so kudos to Fr. D'Angio and his parishioners. Scranton is such a splendid, if ridiculously hilly,place.
When Rear Admiral John J. O'Connor retired as the Chief of Chaplains of the Navy, one of the last who actually knew how to occupy that office and make it of some significance, he was appointed as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Scranton. Not long thereafter he became the Archbishop of New York, later Cardinal Archbishop, and distinguished himself until his death. He is the only person I have personally known whose Ph.D. dissertation was in three volumes (or was it four?), and was the reflection of a life he had actually lived.
And it would be unforgivable to mention Scranton and not note that it was the setting for the unforgettable ballad, "Thirty Pounds of Bananas" by the late Harry Chapin. I hope that you and your family had wonderful birthday celebrations.
What a lovely respite from church politics, about which the real world cares not a whit.
PCC
Posted by Phillip Cato | March 4, 2007 9:02 PM
Twice posted for reasons that escape me, twice in oversight.
The ballad was, and is, "Thirty Thousand Pounds of Bananas," as almost everyone knows.
Once, in Morristown, NJ, visiting an elderly parishioner in cardiac ICU who told me that she was dying, and learning belatedly that she was from Scranton and had never heard this ballad, I sang a few choruses of it for her, after telling her that she could not die without hearing this saga. She nearly fell out of the bed laughing, recovered,and lived for three more months. You just cannot know too much Scranton lore.
PCC
Posted by Phillip Cato | March 4, 2007 9:19 PM
For those who haven't heard the song - and it is a hoot! - the lyrics can be found at:
http://www.lyricsdir.com/harry-chapin-30000-pounds-of-bananas-lyrics.html
Each verse is sung faster than the one before (for obvious reason).
Posted by Señor Bozo | March 5, 2007 9:21 AM
Well, since we are having a Scranton-fest, I have to pass this on. Some of my old high school (Bishop Hannan) sent me this a while back.
The Language of Scran-un
Acka mee
Acme Markets, similiar to Ay-em-pee.
Alla youz
Everyone else.
Antnee
Any one of a towsand guys in Dunmore.
Arch a bald
Archbald, Pa., home of the yuge pothole.
Arthur idis
Acts up when it rains, and you have trouble gettin’ go-in
Atha leet
If you're real good, you go on Channel 16 as the Atha Leet of the Week.
Beer garden
Where they sell six-packs in the back cooler, under the picture of the Pope.
Bee endat
Therefore.
Bee uu dee full
Good.
Da boad of vus
Me and you.
Buh un
Press one for the elevator.
Cabbage salad
Cole slaw.
Catlick
The Pope.
Choclit
Hershey bar.
Cooties
If you get them, you'll have a conniption fit.
Corpse house
Funeral home.
Crick
Creek, as in: You’re up a crik.
Cump nee
People over your house.
Da mawhl
I’m go-in shoppin’ up da mahl.
Da U
University of Scranton.
Dee Eynon
Home of the kuppa koffy and sanwich combo.
Down da line (or up)
Points south (or north).
Dungarees
Blue jeans.
Fillem
In the cam-ra.
Fire barn
Hose house.
Fishtix
Friday dinner.
Fudg ickle
Better than a creamsicle.
Haitch bee yo
Cable channel.
Hayna
Ain’t it?”... add “or no” for clarity.
Her people
The inlaws, “My kids look goofy kuzz her people look goofy. It ain't on anakowna my people"
Hi bawhl
What's a wedding without a kupple-two-tree hi-bawhls?
Hoddog
On fresh buns from Coney Island.
Hollee Godd!
Bee uu dee full.
Hod owt
It’s like an oven out.
Ink pen
Pen.
Interracial marriage
When one cuzint married that Irish girl or the udder cuz married a Protestant.
Jeet jet?
"No, jew? But don't worry, Dairy Dan is out there ringin' da bell right now.
Jeezus, Mary, and Joseph!
When "Jeezus H. Christ" just isn't enough.
Koffy
The best cuppa koffy was at the Krispy Kreemz.
Korder
25 cents.
Kowney
Lackawanna.
Kupple too tree
A few.
Kuzzint
Your fadder’s brudder’s kid.
Lacka Knowledge College
Lackawanna Junior College. You stick your head out the window... you’re off campus.
Lake Lincoln
What grandma still calls Nay Aug.
Lannick City
Gambling destination of all those buses full of geezers.
Lonn more
Or grass cutter.
Melk
Leave some out for Sanny Claus.
Minooka
An ancient Indian name meaning "Land of Irish Bars."
Odditer General
A politician from down Harrisburg.
Onna konna
Because.
Over
Direction. I’m goin’ over Dunmore.
Out
Added for things obviously outdoors. It’s dark out. It’s raining out.
An order
The full list of groceries for the week.
Pank
The snow got panked down, so we put ashes on it.
Pellow
For sleeping.
Pizza freetz
At every church block party... but they’re never ready yet.
Poka
As in the Beer Barrel.
Punkin
Goin’ halloweenin?
Rollycoaster
Rollercoaster ride at Nay Aug or Rocky Glen.
Root 6
The fastest way to get up the Eynon.
Rude aidy one
To get up or down the line.
San wich
Pickle loaf?
Sosser
UFO.
Sossige
...and mango at St. Rocco’s pit-nick.
Tanks
You're welcome.
Tarupe
The town between Dunmore and Olyphant.
Termistat
For the stoker.
Tock
Wock the wock and tock the tock.
Totso
Presumed.
Turdy-ate
Channel 38.
Tumb
Hitchhike
Wimpies
Sloppy Joe sandwiches.
Yuge
Big... like a condobbler
Posted by Jim Naughton | March 5, 2007 9:29 AM