REMEMBERING EL FONSO!

      SATURDAY, APRIL 1ST., 2017
       REMEMBERING EL FONSO!

   I suppose it's just coincidence. My old
friend closed a letter this week with a question.
Did I remember "El Fonso?" Earlier in the
week I got a message from my niece who 
wondered if I wanted the painting of El
Fonso which, most recently, was in her
possession.
    Let's back up a bit. Even before I was
born a painting of what looked like a
Spanish Nobleman graced a wall in the
Dining room of my parent's home in
Hazleton.
    All I ever knew about the painting
was that my Mom and Dad and brother
always referred to the gentleman in the
painting as "El Fonso." So that's what I
called him too.
     Why or how my family got the
painting was never questioned. It was
one of those portraits where the subject's
eyes seemed to follow you where ever
you moved. My Mom used to say he
watched over our home.
       After my Dad passed on my brother
and I eventually shared many of the
household items. My nephew still has
the Dining Room set under which I used
to hide while playing inside.
        My niece ended up with El Fonso
but doesn't have the room to display him.
        So he's coming back to me. Now
I'm going to have to do some research
to find out who this guy really was and
where the painting came from. Wish I
would have asked 60 years ago!
        Hope I get some answers and that
all your NEWS is good!