kippurbird | A(sortof) Holiday story

It's not necessarily a 'holiday' story, but I thought it was a nice story to share for this time of year.

My Guv (my mother's father) was one of those children that had their mother's told that either he would be in jail or a genius. Fortunately he ended up being the latter, though I believe it was through some narrow scrapes that he avoided the former. During World War Two he was in several landings, being needed because he was a skilled doctor. One in Africa, I believe he was apart of Operation Torch and one on the March up to Rome. He had two buddies, one of them was a Catholic Priest. When they got to Rome, my Guv and his buddies snuck into the Vatacin.

They got caught.

And they got yelled at. My mom says by the Pope himself.

Time passes. My Guv's friend, the Catholic Priest becomes a high mucky muck in the Vatacin and invites my Guv and Bubbie to visit him. He even arranges a meeting with the Pope himself (this part is true). Before going to visit, my Bubbie buys a bunch of Rosaries. When they are there, the Pope remembers my Guv (or so my mom says). My Bubbie however, asks the Pope to bless the Rosaries that she bought. He does so. She put them carefully away.

When they got back from Rome she gave the Rosaries out to all her Catholic friends as gifts. The friends were extremely grateful and amazed that she would do that for them.

I always liked that story.