
*The following post will probably not make much sense if you didn't grow up in Lawrenceville. If you don't know what "UP THE WARD" means. Quit reading. Sorry.
Lovely one bedroom home for rent in Lawrenceville,
Partially furnished with antique dining room set and china cabinets
High ceilings and fireplace mantels, large new bathroom, cute kitchen, and all newly painted.
Fenced small brick yard.
Located on 45th, the river side of Butler St.
$650 plus utilitiesThis was in an e-mail forwarded to me by our good friend in the Buckeye State. So what? You might ask. Where is she going with this? You might ask.
People e-mail me stuff all the time. What's so different about this add? You might ask,
I am soooo happy you asked.
WHAT THE FUCK IS THE RIVER SIDE OF BUTLER STREET???????????????????I'm assuming this person is talking about
BELOW BUTLER.
I have so much in my head that I can't type as fast as my brain is going.
OK Ei, settle down. Start from the beginning.
OK, sigh, deep breath.
Give me a break people.
Why do people have to make things sound so much better than they are. This reminds me of a friend years ago who bought a house in Wilkinsburg. Her parents from New York came to visit. The mother said to me "Don't you love Jocelyn's lovely home in the country. (They had two trees in the back yard.) It was in fucking Wilkinsburg..........Or the people who live in
ROW HOUSES, suddenly they call them
TOWN HOUSES. (Lawrenceville, has lots of TOWNHOUSES)
Sorry I'm getting sidetracked.
Let me start by saying I was born on October 16, 1957 at 193 Cotton Way. In Lawrenceville. Dare I say it. Another deep breath.
BELOW BUTLER. In an alley for Christ Sake.
That was back when Lawrenceville was pronounced in two syllables. Larnce-ville(In pure Pittsburgese). When I go the events in "the ville" or "LA" (Lawrenceville Area). (
NOT, NOT, NOT LARRYVILLE)I can always tell the people new to the neighborhood. I guess I should say the people that paid over $100,000 for some old Polish ladies house. They ask if I am a native to
Law-rence-ville. I took to calling them the"
thee syllable people". When I tell them I was born and raised in the neighborhood, they are immediately surprised I can read and have an intelligent conversation. (Notice I didn't mention grammar or writing)
Don't get me wrong. I love the "
three syllable-ers (my new word) Alot of them are friends of mine. And as Lawrenceville's biggest cheerleader, I am truly grateful these people took a chance and moved into my neighborhood picking up the slack for the sissy la la's who moved to Shaler-ville in the 70's and 80's.
But some things are sacred. Like when you tell people you're from Lawrenceville, and they ask you the age old question.
ABOVE OR BELOW? You say BELOW. And you get the look. You know, the kind of look people from Fox Chapel give the workers from Sharpsburg at the Waterworks Giant Eagle.
THAT look.
Now that I think about it. I kind of like it. "
Eileen, from a townhouse on the river side of Butler Street" sounds hell of alot better that saying "
Eileen, 193 Cotton Way, an alley row house,below Butler."
And as Lisa found out from experience, I can talk about Lawrenceville all I want. Just don't let me hear anyone else say anything.
They will have to answer to
THIS GIRL FROM THE RIVER SIDE OF BUTLER STREET.
Sounds like I finally have some class, doesn't it?
Ok, Ok, I'm pushing it.
You get the idea.
Lawrenceville, history in the remaking. LOVE IT.