A Family Drifting Apart

During the time when there was a large outmigration from Portugal to the United States, Ermalinda was just 6 years old. She always remembered herself preparing to leave for her new life, she would sit in a chair for hours and just stare at the mountain peaks which descended steeply into the sea that would carry her to her new home in the United States. The trip to the United States on the "banana boat" was not enjoyable for Ermalinda. She said the conditions were miserable, and all she could think about as the boat drifted further and further away from her home in Portugal was the family that she would leave behind and never see again.

Ermalinda spent the remainder of her childhood raised in a very modest home in Fall River, Massachusetts, smothered with love and affection by her parents. When Ermalinda was sixteen years old her father invited a border to live in their home. His name was John Rodrigues. John was 6'2" tall, he had smooth light complected skin, stunning green eye's, and dark wavy hair. John's Portuguese charm and mild mannered approach was respected by all who came in contact with him.

Ermalinda and John became friends fast. It was not love at first sight though. It was Ermalinda's father that for

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Two of their children became ill with small pox and died while still infants. She said they often struggled to provide for such a large family.

Meal times were very important in the Rodrigues home; quantity was almost as important as quality. She said that he spoke to us in Portuguese, which he knew Ermalinda would not approve of because she was forever famous for saying to John "speak in English, we are in America now".

After a little growing up came intimacy, then the loss of inhibitions for Ermalinda and eventually their relationship took a romantic turn and they fell in love. After all, in those days it would be considered shameful for a family to have a young man stay in a home where there was a young girl innocent girl. I lived on the West Coast with my parents, and Ermalinda and John lived on the East Coast.

On their 55th wedding anniversary Ermalinda and John were remarried. Although I never had the pleasure of knowing my great grandmother Ermalinda Rodrigues, I believe that we somehow have something in common, just as she was separated from her extended family as a child, I was too. Together their goal in life was to embrace others and to contribute to the world. My mother had the opportunity to enjoy a few of Ermalinda's cooking secrets, but she said that before Ermalinda shared the secret she would always make a!

point to say "I've had this recipe for 50 years, handed down from my mother who brought it from Portugal".

Ermalindas first born daughter was my grandmother Mary. Mary and Alfred were both deaf all of their life, so back in those days they were considered to be unfit to raise a child on their own, therefore my mother was raised by my great grandmother Ermalinda Rodrigues. They were blessed with 11 children: John, Mary, Joseph, Edward, Emmanuel, Larry, Alice, Rose, and James. ced her and John to marry, for better or for worse.

Approximate Word count = 1058
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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