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102 and feeling fineBy Barbara Brown Martin Orlando turned 102 on May 6 and after the fanfare of a birthday party attended by family, friends and workers at Green Acres Country Care Center on Harder Avenue, Orlando took time to recall some highlights in his long life. Born in Italy on May 6, 1900, Martin Orlando and his father and brother came to America when Orlando was six years old. Although the true story is that the family took a boat called the Louisiana and stayed on board for 45 days with 100 people until they reached America, Orlando will tell you he swam to America. The three then took ìa lot of trains,î Orlando said, until they passed through Chicago and ended up in St. Paul where Orlandoís father had friends. Orlando said he had to go to school to learn English and apparently he was good at it. Orlando graduated from high school, a feat not accomplished by many in the early 1900s. After graduation, Orlando went to work for a brush company in St. Paul, working long hours for $2 a week. ìOh, we made all kinds of brushes,î Orlando said. ìWhatever you wanted.î After a couple years on the job, Orlando decided he and his friends needed to travel the country. So, he jumped trains through Montana, Idaho and Washington, eventually making his way back to Minnesota. ìI was a natural-born hobo,î Orlando said. ìWashington was a good state. Weíd get off the train when it stopped, pick an apple off the tree and get back on the train to eat it until we stopped again.î Orlandoís hobo days ended when he returned to Minnesota and met a woman in a slow check-out line at a grocery store. The woman who eventually became Marjorie Marie Orlando died in 1995. Orlando said he and his wife enjoyed their time together, and learned to laugh at their pasts. Orlando and his wife had planned to stay with his wifeís sister-in-law the night of their wedding. Instead, Orlando said, he took off fishing with the brother-in-law. ìNow I know I did wrong,î Orlando said as a smile slid across his face. In 1928, the coupleís first child, a boy, was born, followed by three girls. Orlando said he now has so many grandchildren and great grandchildren ìI canít count them all.î After he got married, Orlando went to work for Gateway Trucking, which eventually sold to Consolidated Freightways. ìWhen I was 62, they retired me,î Orlando said. ìThey had a rule about it back then.î For a long time after retirement, Orlando worked carpentry jobs, which kept his hands strong and mind sharp. He suggests to anyone who wants to live as long as he has that they ìlive a good life. ìDo what you want and forget about everything else,î he said. ìAnd get a lot of exercise.î As Orlando sat in his recliner in his room at Green Acres, the length of conversation was wearing. ìCome back another time,î he said. ìIíve got more. You just tell them the story is to be continued.î ©ECM Post Review |