Contacting Craig

To contact Craig for speaking or interview opportunities, email at craigd2599@gmail.com
Visit his website (Big Fat Grace) at www.craigdaliessio.com


Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Last Innocent Age...

Hey gang...
Yeah I'm still alive!  It's been a long time since I've written and to be honest, I was worried I had lost my desire. A lot has been happening...big life changes...tough decisions. I haven't had the extra time to sit down and write and I haven't really felt like it. But yesterday i got a piece of news that made me get back in gear and probably start laying out my next book. Like "A Ragamuffin Christmas", I think I'm going to start it off as a blog series and see how it flies.
Yesterday I got the sad news that one of my childhood friends' father had passed away. Mr. Wilkins was a big man. He worked for the power company after serving in the Marine Corp. His youngest son John was one of my dearest friends growing up on Monroe Avenue. He remains a friend to this day.
Johnny's dad joins Mr. Messick and Mr. Ferraro as dad's from the block who have gone on to heaven. I am sad to be marking the time in this way.
Monroe Avenue was a dead-end street we were kids. (It's be redesigned now and traffic flows through). It was a wonderful place to grow up back then. We were all friends, we had traditions and habits and secrets that only the kids on the block knew.
We did things that the next generation (our kids) will never know about or experience. I am starting to realize that we were the last truly innocent generation. After us, life began to get complicated much earlier and kids don't do the things we did. So that is what the next series will be..."The Last Innocent Age". It's stories of growing up in a time when life was easier, kids were safer, and the world was still a happy place. Stories of telephone pole tag, sandlot baseball, Saturday fishing trips to "Nonesuch" creek, holding our own Olympics, and learning about life. Stories that will mostly make you laugh, sometimes make you cry, and always make you remember when you did things much the same way. I'm hoping it'll be special, and wonderful...especially for my friends from Monroe Avenue...who may be the only people in the world who know how to play "Hinyaman"
Craig

3 comments:

Dave Lewis said...

Don't forget to include "street hockey." My love for that sport was born when I moved to Delaware in 75...you all were great teachers...let's go Flyers!!

Craig Daliessio said...

There'll be a lot of stories of Street Hockey :) maybe some Snipe hunting at Lum's Pond

Dave Lewis said...

The infamous Snipe Hunt brings a smile to my face...