Memento

I live in the middle of the state of Pennsylvania. In the "suburbs" of a good sized university town of less than 40,000 folks. It was 1977 when we transplanted here, a couple married only a year, we moved because of work and it seemed that both of us were on another planet compared to the big towns where we grew up. Mike is a native of the Fitchburg/Leominster area of Massachusetts. His entire family on both sides resided there and he also had a large extended family. His grandparents had an IGA grocery store and his heritage included learning and speaking French since some of his relatives were French Canadian. Sadly we have very few mementos of older generations of his family. One thing we have is a pewter candlestick. We have photos of his father who was a career fire fighter, including one of his dad on top of a ladder with the fire raging behind him. It is exciting and has a great story behind it.

I have one or two mementos of my own. One of my favorites is a quirky item that I chose when Aunt Mary's apartment was being cleaned out after her death. I have had it on display in my kitchen for many years now. It is not worth anything to anyone, not beautiful or finely made. It is also so stereotypical and for that reason lots of people probably wouldn't like it. I am the very proud owner of the ceramic Organ Grinder Grated Cheese Shaker.

Think Marx brothers. Chico specifically. That is who my organ grinder looks like! He wears a yellow jacket with matching pointy yellow cap and sports a great black moustache that curls up at the ends. His little eyes are closed and his mouth is open as he is singing while turning the crank on the musical organ that has grated cheese painted on it. He doesn't have a monkey. I really wish he did.

The mystery to me (another mystery!) is where did he come from? What is his story? Why did Mary have him in her house? What the heck does he have to do with grated cheese? I don't think anyone ever used him to serve cheese, we always had bowls of freshly grated cheese on the tables. I wonder if he is the souvenir from a trip to Italy or, is he a prize from a church carnival? I once again don't have the answers but this little guy makes me happy even though I don't know. He has to be over 50 years old now, he is still as cute as can be and he will always have a place in my kitchen, looking down on us and singing.

I still wish he had a monkey.