So, as you know, when I was a kid, we moved from the south side to Palos Park. And outside some bullies in the neighborhood…uh, chased me home.

And Aunt Pat was standing by the window and she looked outside and saw the bullies chasing me. So she ran and grabbed my mom’s shelayley, which is like this Irish cane…I don’t know how to spell it but you can just look it up…

And she just chased after these guys! And they ran away! They thought they were real tough and then Aunt Pat, you know, who’s a woman, just made them run away.

Why do we tell and retell this story?

Just, you know, to show, you know, uh that to tell a story about Aunt Pat. And show how she, you know, protected her brother. Good over evil, you know, that kind of thing.

context:

I went home this year for Easter. The informant, my dad, or one of his siblings tells this story at most family parties. They used to tell it with an umbrella as the weapon of fear but Aunt Pat changed it to shelayley. He told this to me one-on-one, otherwise there probably would be a bit more flare to it, if his siblings contributed.

thoughts:

It’s funny that his interpretation of why we tell and retell it is because it shows how good triumphs over evil. I personally think it is more to paint his sister as a heroine, especially when she is down. All of the cousins know it and can and do tell it.