Coping with Corona: All I have are these photographs

PLAINS TWP. — A picture tells a thousand words.

Hundreds of pictures tell hundreds of thousands of words.

Pictures of family and friends tell millions of stories of lives well lived.

In my home, the stairway to the third floor is lined with collages that contain photos of my family and friends over the years post-1972. That’s because the flood of 1972 took most of the photos I had of my family that were collected over the years even before I existed.

I have regained some of them from family members, but most are gone forever.

There are two photos attached to this story — one shows all those collages on just one side of the stairway wall and the other is one collage of some very meaningful pictures.

There is a photo of me sitting on Santa Claus’ lap. The look on my face is one of uncertainty. As much as I love Santa, I wasn’t sure about this guy. But I knew I had to sit there and tell him what I wanted for Christmas. I believe it was taken in Fowler Dick & Walker-The Boston Store — now Boscov’s.

There are pictures of my mom and dad in Yankee Stadium. We were a Yankee family, attending many games over the years — many weekend series and Sunday doubleheaders. We got to meet a lot of Yankees and the games were always exciting.

One Friday night, the Yanks were playing the Red Sox. Mom, dad, me and my Aunt Betty and Uncle Joe were with us. The Yanks were trailing late and dad asked if I wanted to leave. Now I know dad was tired. He worked that day and then drove us all to the city and we made the game on time.

I checked my scorecard and Mickey Mantle wasn’t due up til fifth or sixth in the ninth inning, so we left in the eighth.

When we got back to the Yankee Motor Lodge, I heard Aunt Betty scream — the news was on and the Yankees came back in the bottom of the ninth and won a a 3-run homer by, yep, Mickey Mantle. I wasn’t sure I would survive that trip.

There’s another picture of my high school graduation party. It shows my dad, me, Sandy Kraynack Potoski and Aunt Betty. Sandy hosted the party at her house on Reynolds Street.

The party was about one month after my mom passed away. It was a very difficult time, but Sandy felt I should have a party to celebrate by high school graduation.

It was the right decision. Family and friends attended and it helped my dad and I heal a bit.

The picture is very emotional for me to look at. Sandy was my mom’s close friend. She was my babysitter. Mom died on May 10, 1968, at age 42. Sandy died that same year on Christmas Day — she was 28.

Sandy taught me to wiggle my ears when I was 10 and had the mumps. She was always quick to run to Golden Quality for CMPs and other treats, or to Stookey’s for barbecues. In a word, Sandy was fun and she is forever missed.

There other pictures of my mom and dad, Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty, my dad’s cousin/brother Al Jones, my Uncle Jim and Aunt Thelma O’Boyle, my mom’s brother Uncle John Kraszewski, my Godfather.

And a couple of cats I had — Saturn and Abby.

Like I said, emotional photos, but I am grateful I have them. I cherish them all.

And I will keep staring at them from time to time and remembering all of those good times of my life. I suggest you all to do the same.