southie

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having principles was for other people, growing up in the three deckers or in the projects of (southie), each had their physical differences, but the family drama was similar in most cases. not enough money, too many children, alcoholism, the ingredients for chaotic households; stealing was a way of life and necessity being the mother of invention but a motherfucker too. You went out to take what u could. There wasn’t that much, because nobody had that much. The catholic church would sift thru the catholic elementary school endowing privilege on the most promising; a certain understanding and complimentary remark from the nuns or special treatment by the pastor. To a 10 yr.from a typical SB home, a kind and caring concern was completely new experience, and a heady one at that, a nod, a private conversation, a pat on the head,(if he was lucky), sometimes a priests mouth or a cheap feel in his knickers, that feeling of ‘special’ was so foreign to his home life that any recognition a kindness could be overwhelming. but either way, a scholarship to the local C h.s, or if the parents were desperate enough, and the child bright enough, at the eight grade, moved to a boarding h.s where he would he would soon realize that “discipline” meant’ beatings, harassment and often molestation.





the thirtiesh guy shuffling down Dot st from the old colony prjct both hands
clenched in his 12 yr old football jacket; with the 'scally' cap longshoreman
khaki pants and boots, this uniform was as much an id as it was the history of the individual himself. having entered the world as the result of bad timing or the victim of a pull out; His take on his wordly assignation was that of a part timer. Never devoting full time to education, marriage, employment is as much of his life style as his efforts to non participate in constructive kknowledge, or marriage or work
TC to describe the prototype of a child growing up in /SB would probably run something like this...

having principles was for other people, growing up in the three deckers or in the projects of (southie), each had their physical differences, but the family drama was similar in most cases. not enough money, too many children, alcoholism, the ingredients for chaotic households; stealing was a way of life and necessity being the mother of invention but a motherfucker too. You went out to take what u could. There wasn't that much, because nobody had that much. The catholic church would sift thru the catholic elementary school endowing privilege on the most promising; a certain understanding and complimentary remark from the nuns or special treatment by the pastor. To a 10 yr.from a typical SB home, a kind and caring concern was completely new experience, and a heady one at that, a nod, a private conversation, a pat on the head,(if he was lucky), sometimes a priests mouth or a cheap feel in his knickers, that feeling of 'special' was so foreign to his home life that any recognition a kindness could be overwhelming. but either way, a scholarship to the local C h.s, or if the parents were desperate enough, and the child bright enough, at the eight grade, moved to a boarding h.s where he would he would soon realize that "discipline" meant' beatings, harassment and often molestation.