Posting about Joseph Iorio, made me think about all the characters I met while I was in his employ. No television mini-series could do justice to all these amazing people.
A few years ago, I posted about one since departed: Padriac Kennedy. He was a bit quirky but in a benign way. He was too brainy for this world. I hope the next is more rewarding for him. Another person that was worthy of mention was Darren, who loved to wear a deer stalker and cape, and bravely took public transit to work. Elisabeth, the saboteur, who was capable of great kindness and equal intrigue. She was a complicated person who was not so kind in retrospect. Ernie, who helmed the ship was an anchor. Hemet who always wanted to be out front - (he was stuck in the backroom shipping for years) and now is. I am so pleased for that, as if ever a person deserved a sizable promotion, it is Hemet. He was and remains the most loyal of Joe's crew.
The rest of the staff in those turbulant years came and went, mostly went. I worked in dangerous times for Joseph. The stories I could tell.... (but not yet).
Some of the folk that I was friendly with were legitimate small time dealers, but some of them were definitly a little on the iffy side. I was too naive at the time to see it. Not now though. Joe always ran a reputable ship. He abided by every city statue and law, and sometimes got grief from the authorities where none was warranted. He is a straight shooter.
There was Roy, the guy from Chilliwak who couldnt date or appraise anything but had a supersharp instinct for valuables and an amazing ability to get things cheap. There was Bill, the British Coin expert who turned out to be a tad shady. There was Paul who left in a fit of pique because I was there, and who went on to do what he should have all along - run his own outfit. On Saturdays, the little dealers would come in with their week's worth of trade, and alot of them knew that I was a sucker for rhinestones. Now of course the store did not buy rhinestones unless they were housed in a truly show-stopping vintage extravaganza and even then, it was not a surety. I, on the other hand, was happy to go out for a coffee and relieve the boys of the glitz. It was a few years before one of my assistants pointed out to me that these transactions had a sexual undertone. I was once more, alas, too naive to see this. It pains me to say this as I always thought of myself as one of the boys. One of the boys in high heels and glitzies, but still, one of the boys.
Silly silly me.
It is a good thing that the enthusiasm of youth keeps us from being too introspective. That comes later. -heh
