Thursday, May 16, 2019

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

Image by David Mark   https://pixabay.com

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:


We walked out the building and he [ed: Uncle Vincent] headed  toward the Old State House and then up the hill to the state house. We got in the elevator, got out and went down the corridor and came to a sign over an open door entitled executive office. On each side of that door were a number of people sitting and waiting. As we approached, the receptionist said, "Go right in, Mr. Mottola. He's waiting for you." And we were ushered in to the Governor's office. His name was....and he ran a campaign logo, "Had Enough" which ousted a democratic governor out of office. The Republicans were in. [ed: Seems Dad couldn't remember the name of this governor. Looking through a list of Massachusetts governors and knowing this is 1951 or 1952, the Republican governor was Christian A. Herter who narrowly beat out Democratic governor, Paul A. Dever. Herter served from January 1953 to January 1957] Uncle introduced me to the governor. It would not be the first and last time. There were others and as you know you received a phone call from one who wanted you to deliver a message to me he only gave you a first name and said I had his telephone number. You told him unless he told you who he was, you would not deliver the message He said "I'm the Governor." You were either 6 or 7 at that time. [ed: My Governor Story]

The Governor asked Uncle a couple of questions about something that was on the agenda. Uncle gave his opinion and we left. The questions were whether or not he should support the legislation.

We returned to the office. My cousin, Ned, helped me a lot. He was good when it came to writing petitions to the courts. He trained me well. No one ever (lawyer) ever was successful in having any of my petitions thrown out. They all went to trial or settled with me.

I went with my cousin when he went to court and with my uncle. To sit in as it was described, but it did not produce any money. I was scrounging around and built a little tax clientele. Some wills and small stuff. I also got to be good on research and writing briefs.

14 comments:

  1. This is fascinating. I also liked how your father was a go-getter from the git go!

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    1. I think his drive came because the Depression hit his family hard, especially his father. His father wouldn't or couldn't find work so some of the money Dad earned as a teen and young man was sent home to his mother.

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  2. It is interesting how all jobs require a learning curve, and some more than others. But it sounds like Dad was in a good place to get some lessons about lawyering. Happy Thursday-hugs-Erika

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    1. He didn't get paid or paid much by his uncle, but Dad said he did get a good grounding in the law.

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  3. Always love the new episodes of the story!Valerie

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  4. Good story! The best part was you saying you wouldn't deliver the message if he didn't leave his full name! LOL :D

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  5. CJ; wonder what your dad would think of the legal system today; as in right now present day, where the dockits are backed up to the moon and back with trivial this that and such, and everyone's excuse that commits a crime is; I'm insane ~~~~~~

    Ok, I need to shut up before I go off on a tangent that will last the next decade ~~

    ☺☺♥♥

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    1. There were frivolous lawsuits in his day, too. He didn't like people wasting the Court's time. As to the insanity plea, I think I heard him say it rarely works out in the defendant's favor.

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