A Family Drifting Apart

A detailed Summary of 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

Meal times were very important in the Rodrigues home; quantity was almost as important as quality. My mother said that one of the special pleasures of the oversized family was that large, humongous stew pot that sat on the stove, it was always full with Ermalinda's famous Portuguese bean soup and in the air was the smell of Portuguese sweet bread. To the Portuguese food is probably the second most important thing they think about, it's no wonder that as Ermalinda got older she was often described as being "as wide as she is tall".

On their 55th wedding anniversary Ermalinda and John were remarried. It was a huge celebration. Family and friends came from all over the country to celebrate. The Rodrigues children all pitched in and bought a diamond ring and a beautiful wedding gown that was so stunning it would make any woman green with envy. Most memorable about the celebration was the wedding band that daughter Rose made with mix-matched jewels that each sibling contributed. Unfortunately, this celebration was the last time that the Rodrigues family would ever gather together.

In the early 1970's both Ermalinda and John passed away. The Rodrigues family that was bonded and full of life for so many years had suddenly drifted apart. 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. I now have a large family of my own with five children and it seems that I must be following in her footst

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

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