raskin 75

th

an

the best of everything

niversary

Still Standing In
Silent Memory

Danny Raskin

Senior Columnist

Villa Maria of

years gone by

remembered

by many.

The robust sparkling Italian
red vinos are sad … Their
master that once stood with
beautiful grace can cry no more
… The former beautiful pink
Villa Maria Italian restaurant
that opened over 21 years ago
still stands ever so quiet, lonely
and empty on the southeast
corner of Haggerty and Maple
(15 Mile).
The ground around it is cov-
ered with weeds, rubble and
broken glass, etc., upon which
the former once-proud Italian
restaurant now stands with
only the ghosts of time to keep
it company.
Its late owner Al Valente, as
were many restaurant owners
in primarily Jewish sectors, was
conscious of the major Jewish
holidays … Al was aware that
he, too, had to bite the bullet
although enough non-Jews
knew of its wonderful food and
wine to keep his Villa Maria
going … And the crowded Yom
Kippur night attendees would
many times make up for some
of their absences. … Much
like previous tenants before
Villa Maria … Maple Gardens,
Haggerty Harry’s and Doc
Frock’s.
Al and wife Joyce completely
gutted their new home away
from home and replaced many
of the walls from top to bottom
with old pictures of Valente
family members and artifacts.
… And made certain to have an
outstanding stock of fine Italian

wines … and pictures also of
when Al was in the record busi-
ness as head of national promo-
tions for Motown Records.
How clean was Villa
Maria then? … How about
the Oakland County Health
Department holding its holiday
party there?
THE PRESENT LOCATION
of Pepino’s restaurant now on
Orchard Lake Road, Sylvan
Lake, has answered a lot of
questions for many about open-
ing again … And if so, where?
… And maybe a smaller tempo-
rary place?
The new Sylvan Lake site
is definitely not a temporary
location … and certainly much
larger than before.
We were there on a recent
Tuesday evening when son
Scott and granddaughter
Hannah Berglund, both visiting
here, had again wisely selected
Pepino’s for her birthday.
Customers filled every nook
and corner … almost twice the
size of its former Walled Lake
site!
Little doubt, too, that their
third partner at Pepino’s, Dr.
Chris Hutchinson, is mighty
proud of his mother-in-law,
Kathy Morley, and aunt Carol
Carson … But now the Royal
Oak Beaumont Hospital
Emergency Room doc and
former University of Michigan
football All-American also
has a second pride … His son,
6-foot-6, 255-lb. Aidan, defen-

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OLDIE BUT GOODIE …
Meyer, a lonely widower, was
walking home wishing some-
thing wonderful would change
his life when he passed a pet
store and heard a squawking
voice shouting in Yiddish.
Meyer rubbed his eyes and
ears. He couldn’t believe it. The
proprietor springs out the door
and grabs Meyer by the sleeve.
“Come in here, fella, and check
out this parrot.”
Meyer stands in front of an
African Grey that cocked his
little head and says, “Vus? Du
kent reddin Yiddish?”
Meyer excitedly puts $500
down on the counter and car-
ries the parrot in his cage away
with him.
All night he talks with the
parrot in Yiddish. The parrot
wants to learn to daven, too,
so Meyer teaches him how to
read Hebrew and every prayer
in the siddur. Finally, both went
to sleep.
On the morning of Rosh
Hashanah, Meyer rose, got
dressed and was leaving when
the parrot asked to go with
him. Meyer explained that the
synagogue was no place for a
bird, but the parrot made a ter-
rific argument and was carried
to the synagogue on Meyer’s
shoulder. They made quite a
sight and Meyer was questioned

by everyone, including the rabbi
and cantor, who refused to allow
a bird on the High Holidays.
Meyer convinced them to let
him in this one time, swearing
that the parrot could daven.
Wagers were made with
Meyer. Thousands of dollars
were bet that the parrot could
not daven or speak Yiddish or
Hebrew, etc. All eyes were on the
African Grey during services.
The parrot perched on Meyer’s
shoulder as one prayer and
song passed. Meyer heard not a
peep from the bird. He began to
become annoyed, slapping his
shoulder and mumbling under
his breath, “Daven!” Nothing.
“Daven, please! Everybody is
looking at you!” Nothing.
After Rosh Hashanah ser-
vices were concluded, Meyer
owed his synagogue buddies
and the rabbi more than $5,000.
He marched home quite upset,
the bird, happy as a lark, began
to sing an old Yiddish song.
Meyer stopped and looked at
him. “You miserable bird, you
cost me over $5,000. Why? After
all I taught you and after you
begged me to bring you to the
synagogue on Rosh Hashanah,
why did you do this to me?”
“Don’t be a schlemiel,” the
parrot replied. “You know the
odds we’ll get for Yom Kippur?!”
CONGRATS … To Mark Zarkin
on his birthday … To Wendy
Flusty on her birthday. •

Danny’s email address is
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

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October 5 • 2017

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