Growing up, I thought of my Aunt Meercy, my mother's younger sister, as my own personal Doris Day and Auntie Mame. I thought she was as beautiful as a movie star, as colorful and creative as Mame Dennis, and ALWAYS brought culture, expanded horizons, and positive thinking into my life. For my Aunt Meercy, a single working lady in the 50’s and ’60s, there was never a road too hard to pave over, or if needed a detour to get around; and if that did not work just build a bridge she would say, she would DO IT!
Music, music, music, everywhere and any time. I remember when she lived on Lilac Street in the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Her apartment was on the second floor, which meant first climbing up two dozen steps to get into her house, and then another dozen steps, to reach the second floor but no matter the effort, the minute you came close to her house, the radio was blaring some kind of jitterbug or Big Band song. I learned how to do the cha-cha from Aunt Meercy, and the box step. Aunt Meercy would remind me, no matter how short I might be, by looking a lady in the eye when you dance a slow dance with her, I was a TALL man in her eyes! My sisters and I would go to the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, and before we entered, Aunt Meercy would remind us of manners and respect. Manners by ALWAYS staying to the right, and respect by always taking the time to read, the little card next to the painting or sculpture, so we could acknowledge the talent of the artist.
I was lucky because my Aunt Meercy was like having a second mom. When I came out to my family, I decided to tell both my Mother and Aunt at the same time. My mother had no problem, reminding me I am and was and will be her son, and life certainly has a lot of secrets to be shared. My Aunt Meercy looked at my mother, and said, “Boy are we lucky, to have a son who can love the world.” Happy Mother’s Day Aunt Meercy!
