BIG FAMILIES
A Conversation @ Brandywine College
Wilmington, DE
1973
I grew up in an Irish, Catholic neighborhood in Philadelphia.
Every one came from big families, except for me. We only had seven kids. But the Flatleys, the
Hunts, the Bartons all had 10 kids. The Syminecks
had 13, the Vaughn had 12, the Gambacias, had 16. The Cassidy had 8. The Cunningham had 11. You get the picture; there were a lot of damn
kids in my neighborhood.
When I went to college, I meet my first Jewish friend. We talked about our childhood. She said she was from big family and I told
her that I had always wanted to come form a big family.
“How many kids are in your family,” I asked with curiosity.
“Three,” she stated, sort of looking for a reaction from me.
“And you”, she shot back.
“Seven”, I responded, not quite sure if she was kidding or
not.
And she too, looked at me as if I was crazy.
