The Reljac Files

To start this off here are some stories Dad told Terri.  Living along East Ohio Street near the railroad tracks, Dad and Uncle Joe would cross the rail trestle. Once, Uncle Joe was on the top of the bridge supports (Dad was too scared and stayed on the tracks) to catch pigeons to sell for 5 cents each to the bums that set up camp behind the Lambrose bar.  They put the pigeons in their shirts until they got back.  They did this at night in the dark…..Uncle Joe and Dad often went swimming in the river naked where they were not allowed.  Uncle John saw them; yelled for them to come back to shore; they told him to come and get them.  He took their clothes; went home hoping they would be in trouble.  They walked home naked and Grandma said “kids will be kids”.  Uncle Mike was pounding some type of support into the ground with a fireman’s axe while Dad held the support steady.  The axe head came loose as it came down; Uncle Mike tried to stop it but the blade went into the middle of Dad’s head.  He was in the hospital for 3 days and in a coma for the first 24 hours.