Oooooo I remember- “a girl must never whistle, it makes the Blessed Virgin cry”

Mom: always walk on the street side while escorting a lady (now there’s a holdover from the 1800’s), always offer your chair to a lady if none other is available; always stand when a lady enters a room, always open doors for ladies, always speak courteously, quite picking your nose Frank, always hold her chair until a lady is seated, tip your hat to a lady, and always help a lady with packages and walk across the street holding her arm (all of the above which I still do to this day—boy that woman brainwashed me totally for which I’m truly grateful), do you have to have hair THAT long, Frank; Dad: never belch, fart or make other unseemly noises in front of a lady, never pick your teeth in public, hold yer likker, son, watch where you spit, never piss into a strong wind, always love baseball, shave every day, look a man in the eye, Smile when you call me that stranger!, make your mother proud of you always, save yourself until marriage (boyoboy, THAT went by the wayside really fast); mom: go to church on Sundays, and always wear your blue best suit and a clean white ironed shirt to church; wear clean underwear daily, go to confession on Saturday (I stopped doing when I realized sex was nothing to confess—WOW! that was FUN, can we do that again?), always treat Father Moran with respect and yes you’re going to Catholic school and no argument; both parents: you are going to be the first in our family to go to college and be a doctor (They were certainly wrong about that doctor bit when I discovered the joys of Shakespeare’s bawdy :-)); marry a good catholic girl and have a daughter; we want a grand-daughter really badly—did that one and never regretted a moment with either Anne or our beautiful daughter—mom and dad loved her to pieces and spoiled her rotten, but then what are grand-daughters for anyway; always make us proud of you son—not sure I have but I hope so, mom and dad—love you both. Frank

Never EVER tell a man too much about yourself, your family or your problems. And never let him think you’re funnier than he is. (Especially if you are.)

Candy has it all but I am much older so I can add few , do not eat on the street, do not look or stare at ladies who are pregnant, always bring flowers when invited to dinner, eat your fruit with a fork and knife, do not talk much but listen a lot. A real lady always says “Yes” to her husband no matter what headache you may have. My European mother was brought up in a convent, she never ever let go of what your manners should be. Then came TV…………and she discovered another world full of “vulgar” people as she put it. Poor thing the nuns did a number on her.

BTW I knew a teacher once, kindergarten; they’re a different breed altogether; we rarely saw eye to eye on many things but she was a great teacher and taught those kids the basics: shut the door when you go to the bathroom, flush, wash your hands, and make sure you zip up, say please and thank you, share. Now that’s a good start on life for girls and boys. :-) She died just recently—ovarian cancer—and I miss her .

All of the above plus: Never wear white before “Decoration Day.”