And

Bill was the oldest of the “cousins,” and probably the one who spent the most time with our family

His Aunt Ann (my Mother) was always pleased when Dad took me away from our crowded tenement apartment either for a walk in the Park or to share one of his wonderful excursions.

On most Sunday’s, Bill ( Dad’s nephew, Godson, as well as surrogate son) accompanied us.

And to be factually honest, my Mother, his Aunt, never quite appreciated the close relationship the two men shared.

However, that is part of a story set in different times with different emotional conflicts. Also, it is one now impossible to judge or understand.

Still it was only we three who shared Sunday afternoons together. My sister rarely joined us preferring to remain home with Mom and her family,

Often the outing was a simple stroll through Central Park after first listening to the volatile orators emoting in Columbus Circle.

I vaguely recall their perceived threat in those years was communism. Admittedly, my memory is dubious.

Other days in the heat of summer, we rode the IRT subway to Astoria where we spent the afternoon cooling off in the memorable Sunnyside outdoor pool,

When weather turned cooler, we religiously arrived for the early show at the Roxy Theatre always stopping en route home for black and white ice cream sodas at the now extinct Lofts Ice Cream Parlor.

Simple pleasures, but happy times and mostly forgotten until recently.

The “Cousins,” all four, have been gone now for quite a while, as have all of the older members of our relatively small clan.

I hadn’t dwelled on my changing role in the family dynamics until this week when Bill’s older daughter, Janie, casually mentioned I was now the family matriarch.

The news rather stunned me, and to be frank, matriarch is not and never was a role I sought.

Then I thought, “Well, if it’s mine, I had best embrace it, but how?”

I realize I have absolutely no idea what a matriarch does, besides being old.

And of course, that I am, but I don’t really need to be reminded by a title.

My body does that daily and needs no assistance, therefore, I won’t shop for a robe or crown,

I won’t dye my hair white, or cancel my appointment to prevent it from turning white, or yellow or gray.

But must I relinquish the Chanel eye makeup? No, no that is asking too much even for a Matriarch.

Apparently, I now have a lot to learn about this new role in life, and one I hadn’t anticipated but discover I have inherited.

However (thanks to Janie), I look forward to another new adventure similar to those shared long ago with her Dad and always great fun.