Then and Now According To Puggie
Puggie’s Perspectives Shaped By Experience
My legal first name might as well have been “Puggie” for the first 20 years of my life.”Puggie” was applied at birth and it stuck fast. I can recall pushing back against the nickname from very early in my life. My real name did not reflect my chubby nature. In fact it was my Dad’s name, as well as the first name of the most respected man on Cape Cod at the time.
I was born in early 1959 in Hyannis, Massachusetts. My Dad was a United States Air Force navigator stationed at Otis, AFB. My mother was a New England native, whose family relocated to Cape Cod to be closer to other members of the close knit Cape Verdean community.
New England’s fishing and whaling industry, attracted immigrants from the Cape Verde islands. The settled an area stretching from Waterbury Connecticut to Cape Cod. To this day the Cape Verde community is still very strong on Cape Cod and nearby communities like Fall River, New Bedford and Onset.
It is impossible to separate the life experience wrapped around that nickname used so long! You know what they say about stuff that doesn’t kill you! I’d suggest that while some things that don’t kill you, they can do an impressive amount of damage even if you survive.
The Grand Adventures of Puggie
As are most of us, I am a survivor on many levels. We have all had our adventures, triumphs, close calls and tragic encounters with life. I am sure those who find this page have had equally rich lives, featuring stories that should be told. My mission here is to share some of the interesting adventures, perspectives on lessons learned and what has happened when I might not have learned fast enough! Hopefully something will resonate and bring you back for a laugh, cry or just because something here is real and better than any television you can watch between commercials!