When I began college at UMass Boston in 1972, my love of history and human nature made me want to major in Political Science and Psychology as a dual major because of my involvement in North End politics during the late 50’s early 60’s. In those days, Joe Langone and my close friend Ernie Guarente were two mortician’s and always running for one office or another. I announced mortician Ernie’s Guarente’s candidacy with a loud speaker mounted on the roof of his car belching out his name for whatever position he was running for many years.

My friendship with Ernie began in the mid 50’s. While playing in the streets, I accidentally broke a window at his funeral parlor, which is now the site of Lucia’s Restaurant at the corner of Hanover and Harris Streets. I knocked on his door and confessed that I had accidentally broken his window with a ball and wanted to make restitution. He was so impressed with my honesty that we became friends for life.