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| Susan's Mother, Helen Fischetti her last days |
IT’S ALL IN THE CARDS THIS MOTHER’S DAY
Perhaps a poker story isn’t quite in the cards befitting Mother’s Day; however, in my family it’s all in the cards. The family that plays together stays together when they gather for a poker game on holidays. For my mother, Helen Fischetti, Mother’s Day was one of those holidays when after dinner festivities we stayed together for a family poker game.
Essentially poker was the game the family played to be together, a shared interest by way of the love of the game and a family’s love. We loved poker and loved the family - it was a winning combination for all of us.
All in all we are all winners at the poker table by way of being together; however, one Mother’s Day our Mother, Helen Fischetti, was really a winner. By that time, Mother was now a widow without Dad. It was Dad who started poker years ago. Perhaps in essence Mom wanted to continue the poker tradition to keep Dad as close to her heart as she kept her cards.
But I digress. To get back to the game, the cards were set this Mother’s Day playing a 5-card draw poker game. We all drew into our hands. All players were in waging our bets. The kitty sat waiting for the winner. Although usually without a hint of her hand, this time Mom played her hand close with a sly smile on her lips suggesting a good hand.
Yet, we didn’t realize just how good hand it was until she revealed the winning hand to beat all odds – a Royal Flush! She drew into the highest hand in poker dealt in lovely red hearts without skipping a heart beat.
Ascribing to tradition the remaining cards, with the exclusion of the five cards honoring the Royal Flush, were discarded and the Royal Flush cards were framed for displaying. My mother came to say, “That was the best Mother’s Day present I ever was dealt.”
After Mom’s passing a life’s fingerprints were left on every poker card of the framed Royal Flush. Poker speaks of memories made in the game of life. Life is a gamble after all. Perhaps Mother deserves a more proper dignified tribute; however, in our own way poker came to be our last laugh. As the family gathered for Mother’s memorial service, the priest lightheartedly mentioned in his eulogy that Mother awaits us in Heaven asking to “Deal her in.”
Susan Marie Davniero (Fischetti)
(Published Long Island Press)
Letters to the Editor
New York rolls the dice on N casino gambling. All bets are off in a free market - gambling speaks its own voice. Most people don’t have the moral language to debate on gambling’s influence for us as a community.
Essentially, gambling tends to reduce everybody to a common denominator – money. And money speaks for itself to leap forward into a stage of economic prosperity or poverty – it could be a win or lost.
Despite the odds for potential setbacks, the smart money says it’s a good bet the gaming industry will continue to soar and gambling is in the cards for New York.
Susan and Robert Davniero
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| Susan and Bob Alantic City Casino |
LADY LUCK
Cards deal
Gambler’s feel
Poker’s hand
Playing grand
Betters’ lent
Money spent
Player’s turn
Nothing earn
Cards undone
Winning none
Gamblers’ dues
Always lose
Cards about
Deal me out
Susan Marie Davniero
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| Teresa and Susan (21 years old) 1974 Vegas
What Stays in
Vegas
Susan and
Teresa in Las Vegas
Published The Pink Chameleon
My older
sister Teresa and I were not very close growing up, as I would have liked. Yet,
there was once a time we were. I recall back in 1974 Teresa was planning a late
September vacation to Las Vegas.
September 26, 1974 was the year I would be turning 21 - the legal age for gaming in 1974. Given that I had two-week vacation due me from work (Del Labs) I asked Teresa if I could tag along, as little sisters tend to do. I was surprise how eagerly she agreed; "Sure! We'll take a charter flight..." And with that we began to plan our vacation together. It was so exciting, meeting with a travel agent, packing clothes in new light blue matching luggage set I brought at the department store, ready for take-off to fly to Las Vegas on non-stop flight. Dad wasn’t reluctant to send us off on this gambling venture even cheering us on; “Vegas is gaudy but that’s the way it should be. You’ll love it.” Teresa and I seem to grow closer by the day as the departure came closer. I wasn’t scared, although I should have been, to board the biggest plane I ever seen, among the rowdy group of people on board partying.
We stayed at the Flamingo Hotel on the
strip which was legendary as the first casino on the strip. Yet, now the casino
seemed dated among the newer ones, but we didn’t mind the pink structure with
plastic flamingos resting by the palm trees. It may sound tacky, but it wasn’t –
it was just Vegas being Vegas. .
To a young novice traveler like myself
at 21, who hasn’t traveled much, Las Vegas seem to have it all - the casinos,
clubs, shows, downtown Vegas, continental breakfast comps, sightseeing,
nightlife and celebrities. And we saw many - Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Joey
Heatherton, Bill Crosby, Manhattan Transfer, Sandler & Young, with some of
their autographs. Dean Martin even talked to me from the stage at the MGM Grand
to our front row seats and I received autograph 8 x 10 glossy.
Sharing our love of card games inherited
from our father teaching us poker as children, Teresa and I grew close bonding
in this adult Disney Land. Although we were two young women alone we didn’t hesitate
to walk downtown night or day. All goods thing come to an end, as the week
vacation was soon over.
On the flight home, the party seems to
be over for the people on board. To overcome leaving Vegas, Teresa and I planned
our fantasy return to move to Las Vegas. We planned to work there as Blackjack
Dealer for Teresa and Casino Cocktail Girl for me.
Yet, once we arrived home at Kennedy
Airport meeting our parents to go home –the dream was over. We awoke returning
to the normal routine. And Teresa and I resumed our past relationship we had
before we left. Alas, the closeness Teresa and I shared was over when the
vacation was.
We may not have lost much money in
Vegas; yet we lost something far more valuable - a sisterly closeness. Apparently,
what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Written by: Susan Marie Davniero
The Good Old Days of TV -
My TV Tribute to the old TV shows
Inspired by repeats on Cable networks -Submitted by Susan Marie Davniero  Make Room for Daddy
(Published Coffee Grounds for Breakfast Magazine)
(dedicated to my Dad Gerard Fischetti)Once upon a time in TV Land
Sitcom of 1953 to 1964 ran
Family program comedy Make Room for Daddy Danny Thomas as starring man Marjorie, Rusty, Angela clan Cast all in good company Make Room for Daddy Staged in New York City Played Copa Club headline singer Uptown apartment living dandy Make Room for Daddy Danny Thomas became tired In 1964 Danny retired Not all roses and candy Make Room for Daddy  THE PATTY DUKE SHOW (dedicated to me and my twin Laura) The family sitcom sites Staged in Brooklyn Heights From 1963 to 1966 The cousins’ are up to tricks It’s Patty and Cathy twice They look alike - They sound alike Patty wore a flip hairdo Cathy turn-under view Patty Duke take a bow Star of Patty Duke Show Acting one as two It’s all about you Written by Susan Marie Davniero
Re: Poetry
Tribute to Oldies TV
Published Pancakes In Heaven
GOING
GIDGET
Friendly nickname Gidget
Came from Girl and
Midget
She was popular and
flirty
Chasing beach bum
Moondogey
It was Sally Field
debut
Starring role as the
cute
Teenage girl cool
surfer
Living within a
curfew
With her widowed
father
He was a UCLA
professor
At the beach having
fun
Until sunset dust
comes
Time to leave
beachgoer
The Gidget show is
over
Tootles!
Written by Susan Marie Davniero
Hey It’s the Monkees
Hey
it’s the Monkees
As seen
on TV
Rocking
n roll craze
Riding
the teenage wave
Sixties
series scoop
Fake
rock n’roll group
Four
cute boy singers
As
Monkees swinging
Teen
idols from my past
Groupies
faded fast
Teenage
fans of the day
Grew up
and went away
Written
by Susan Marie Davniero
Published by Editor of Pancakes in Heaven Special TV Tribute Edition
Birthday
Swings
Rise with the morning sun
Your Birthday today has come
Unwrapping what the day brings
When your birthday swings
It’s the special day to shine
Treasure this birthday time
Happy Birthday we all sing
When your birthday swings
Written by
Susan Marie Davniero
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