Both my grandmothers worked in the garment district in NYC. My father’s mom (Nonni) made coats and my mother’s mom (Ida) made hats. This is a story that Ida used to tell.
Ida had breast cancer and had one removed while she was still working. Pins were a mainstay in the industry, and my grandmother decided that it was too cumbersome 
to carry around a pin cushion, especially when she had her own portable built-in pin cushion. One of her favorite jokes to play on new hires was to, in the normal process of hat making, pull a pin out of a hat and jab it into her fake breast.
to carry around a pin cushion, especially when she had her own portable built-in pin cushion. One of her favorite jokes to play on new hires was to, in the normal process of hat making, pull a pin out of a hat and jab it into her fake breast.You can imagine how funny it looked seeing her walk around with a bunch of pins sticking out of her chest, but the faces of new hires must have been hilarious as they watched her take a pin and stick it in her breast (She would do it before there were any others there). I still laugh picturing my grandmother mimicking herself jabbing the pin in.
2 comments:
How about the one where Nonni was telling a story to the whole clan about a horrorific attack where a stranger forced a couple to couple in the back of their car at gun point. She said they were forced to "perform the sexual act" and Vinio, our wise cracking uncle, without missing a beat, pipes in "did they bring their own guitar?
Or how about the one where we were at the cape playing cards, again Nonni was there and this was in her advanced years and she didn't hear so good. We were telling the group that Lisa was working in Oregon for the Cherry Growers Association. I went on to relay the way Lisa described how they make Mariccino cherrys (it involves bleach and dyes so if you don't have to eat a Mariccino cherry don't) and about half way through Nonni pipes up and says "What is the Cherry Blowers Association?". She really meant it as a question, not a joke.
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