My Nana encouraged me

My Nana was from the old country, she was scottish and irish, she had an accent and was so cute sometimes.

She lived in the Bronx when I was little and then moved to yonkers,,then to Staten island,There was a time she also lived with us,helping my mother with us,baby robby ,lynn,she had her hands full.My parents were foster Parents at first,so before my adoption baby robby came to live with us.I remember that after Robby had been adopted by another couple, my parents were heartbroken,they wanted to adopt him as well but the agency thought"well your adopting the two girls etc" so they took him.

At any given time My nana got involved in my schemes{hehehe},I'd have a system with her"if you see tommy's picture in the paper mail it to me,same with the others like wayne newton or Paul anka,if Tommy's on tv, call me, If tommy's on the news call me",I had a good thing going, between my Nana and aunt not to mention my father,I had a pretty good deal going.

I would watch any talk show, rock n roll show that Tommy was on,I just loved him so much.I caught Nashville Now in CMT when Tommy was on it, one time with yellow hair ,yellow top,blue top over the yellow,his guitar belting out "Teenage Crush and The Beat Goes On",I watched the whole show with a repeat at midnight,My father came and caught me,I had taped the show as well,My father said"joanne,do you know what time it is"?I looked and laught and said"yeah,it's Tommy Sands Time".He got a chuckle and watched it with me.My father finally relized something,I was alot like my aunt in way's and that some how Tommy filled a void.My nana on the other hand she was wise,she told my father once"joe,shes had her heart stolen by this man and he dosen't know it yet,he must be awful special to her because she tries very hard to see every show he's on,collect a picture,anything and everytime you giggle about it,don't".My father said"I gather your right,my little girl is growing up,well if Tommy Sands gives her happiness,I'm not standing in the way".

My father worked at the airport in Ny , every now and then he meet big wigs"Prinecess Diana,The Osmonds"people like that,that would come get their cargo.I always asked"now if you ever see Tommy Sands, bring a picture home for me,tell him about me",My father would smile and say"i'll be on the look out".

My nana wasn't stupid,she was smarter then me,she knew,she knew that not just music but something else was in my heart tucked deep away and for an adoptee like my self,that was something special you don't recieve any time, it's something that grows.She asked me once"joanne, whats so special about Tommy that you like,is it music,acting "?I said with a tear"nana, I like his music alot and his acting,you know alot of his movies I've watched but no,I like him because he's human,I can tell he has a kind heart,he can be funny,I can tell by looking at him he's been hurt,He has a big heart and people don't always understand him,same with me"she said"ahhhh,so you have a connection somewhere,your awful wise to pick him because I bet he never had a nana like me".I smiled and asked"nana if you ever met him, if he ever came here lets say, how would you treat him"?She thought and said"just as I treat anyone, my doors always open,I'd feed him my tripe soup{ick},I'd talk with him,probley give him a hug and make him feel like part of the family".My nana treated all our neighborhood friends that way,feed them, hug them and let them know their loved,thats how she was,always giving.

When I started writting Tommy when he was staying in Ny for awhile,My nana would always say"are you writting your boyfriend again"?I said"yup",writting Tommy made me feel so good,It made him smile and it gave me a chance to express myself but an outlet to talk to him.I always sat in the kitchen to hear music and drink some tea,then begin writting, sometimes 4 page letters,My nana would come up and say"Joanne,it's late what are you doing"?I said"writting",she said"your letters must mean an awful lot to him if your friend arlene told you to keep writting him".I said"nana they make him smile,he knows I care,we have a bond now,I just hope one day i can tell him how I feel".My nana would hug me and kiss my head,she knew an awful lot,she said"then you keep writting him,you keep the special feelings you have in your heart for when the time is right,then one day i hope he will know how much you really care and love him".