Hello I’m the prune man

 

Hello!  I’m the prune man

     This one is drawn from Sheehy folklore as it unfolded on McNerney avenue during Greg's childhood. A unique part of the neighborhood was this sad but dogged man who would arrive in an old Packard and approach the front door at 10431 with a small paper bag in his hand. He had a Boston Blackie mustache, wore a wide brimmed fedora and was always dressed in a suit the way they were worn in the 1940's. The kind of ensemble that found its way onto the racks of Value Village just a few years later.  His hair was brilliantined and his voice was high and rather delicate. He would knock on the door and when little latchkey Greg would answer the gentleman would announce himself as "hello! I'm the prune man!" I have no clue where Grace or John ever met this character but he sold dried prunes door to door and delivered same to loyal customers. Now, today this would be a fool's errand but in the 1950's with diets comprised of meats, cheeses, refined flour bread and little roughage a dried prune might be quite helpful in unburdening the fundament. If little Greggie would tell him "my Mom is not home right now" the old gent would answer "Woop woo!" and depart.  As protected suburban kids we had no idea what homosexuals were but the idea of this efeminate man was funny to us. We would have no idea how difficult it would be for this fellow to gain regular employment. This routine was repeated many times by the wise guys kids around the Sheehy house and their visitor from the Creason clan.