It’s not a trampoline

 




It’s not a trampoline


    Remembering Edward Michael "tussboy" "Doc Tozzle" "Bumps" Carroll and his very nice and perfectly organized family on dear old  Annetta avenue. The Carrolls lived across the street from the Knowltons and Ed was a fixture around their house as soon as he was old enough to cross the street. He was the same age as Kevin and they attended St. Helen together and Pius for a while.  Eddy as he was known as a kid was a sweet-dispositioned little guy who was loved by everyone. He did not have a mean bone in his body and the older guys liked him too. He was an only child in a tightly run house by his father Tommy where everything had its place and cleanliness plus neatness was the rule. When you visited the Carroll house you would be greeted by Cathy Carroll who was about the nicest human being you ever could meet. She adored her Eddy and was always encouraging to any friends who visited their home. Her phone voice was like an angel.  I remember after they read the morning paper they would fold it back up and it would be sitting near the dining room table looking like it was on a newstand. The kitchen was immaculate and Cathy had won new appliances on the Seven Keys televsion show with host Jack Narz. The O'Keefe and Merrit stove and Frigidaire refrigerator looked like they were on the showroom floor at the dealership. It was always ironic that Eddy was a rather rowdy young feller later on being from a house of real squares. Exceedingly loveable squares but still light years away from Ed's boozing and LSD trips etc. Tommy had gone to work for Firestone Tire and Rubber in South Gate after WW II but injured his back sometime in the 1950's so the family lived on his disability and Social Security payments. They were frugal and made sure everything in the Carroll house was kept properly maintained. This included Tommy's pride and joy, a 1958 Oldsmobile 88, four door coupe that was never allowed to gather dust or show a single dent. On a very rare occasion myself and the Knowltons were allowed to ride with Tommy and Ed to Sav-Ons on Tweedy boulevard. We excitedly bounced into the back seat of the Olds and Tommy barked at us "ok kids...it's not a trampoline!" Little did he know Johnny and Paul would keep that phrase in their playbook to be used hundreds of times. It was passed on and was used when any of us got into an automobile. We all went to Tommy Carroll's funeral with respect for the man but remembered that phrase all day long. Greg long railed against the clueless old priest who officiated the solemn event, calling Tommy Timothy the whole time. May they all rest in peace.



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