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Posted on by Paul

1/2 Italian

Sophia Di Martino, Sylvie in the 2021 television series ‘Loki’

This goofy picture of a young Sophia Di Martino and her T-shirt made me think of our upstairs neighbor Josie on Highland Avenue in Newark. Sophia is half Italian and proud of it. Josie was 100% Italian and proud of it, skinny and fierce. Once when a big-time Italian gangster was assassinated, I teased her by offering my condolences, since he must have been a relative. She knew my background was mixed German and Irish, and said, “At least I know what I am – I’m not a mongrel like you!” Ouch.

My wife and I loved her, and the families got along very well. Highland Avenue was a great place to live then, and deserves its own article. But first, here’s one just about Josie.

Promised Highland Avenue article: Highland Avenue and its Saint.

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