Salupo’s Groceries

By Laurel Salupo and Nick Salupo

Salupo’s Groceries is a beautiful written story about two young loves that met and married in Sicily. Carolina and Nicolo had their share of heartaches and happiness over the years. Nicolo was an Army Veteran from the Turkish Italian war. Together the newly married couple traveled from Sicily to America. Once they arrived in the land of the free, they settled in the Woodland area of Cleveland Ohio. Like many young European travelers, it took time to assimilate and plant roots like many immigrants of that time in the early 1920’s. Nicolo had many dreams: he wanted a home, and a neighborhood grocery store, but most of all he wanted a family. With the love of his life by his side, Carolina, they worked hard and achieved many of their goals. Life can be joyous and tragic, and it was for the Salupo family. Together as a family they pulled though tragedy, forging forward in life remembering the true inner strength of Nicolo, who was a husband and their loving father.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664170964

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 by Laurel & Nick Salupo.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 04/23/2021

Xlibris

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www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 2 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 3 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 4 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 5 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 6 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 7 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 8 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 9 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 10 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 11 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 12 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 13 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 14 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 15 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 16 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 17 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 18 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 19 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 20 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 21 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 22 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 23 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 24 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 25 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 26 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 27 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 28 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 29 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 30 Salupo’s Groceries

Chapter 31 Salupo’s Groceries

Acknowledgements

H ello, to all our readers that enjoy sitting back relaxing with a book in their hands. Thank you for all your support in the process of putting the book together. Nick and I both are pleased that it is finally completed. The idea of Salupo’s Groceries came to Laurel after seeing a painting of the store in cousin Judy’s lovely home. Laurel could see that there was a life told story inside the walls of the store. This story was written truly out of love and honor for the ethnic heritage of Nick’s family coming over from the old world to build a new life in America. It is truly a saga of courage. Together as a husband and wife writing team, we hoped that we showed honor for Caroline and Nicolo, Nick’s grandparents. Thank you, Ken Cash, for taking the time out going over each chapter at lunch and with your endless patience. We are grateful to Vince Salupo for being the family historian with all the articles and research he provided. He created a huge folder of material which is a wonderful history of our grandparents and family history. Thank you Lesya Rutkovskiy for your talents on capturing the beauty for our book covers. We remember kindly, Ross, Mary, Sammy and Jennie, who are all now home in the heavens with their parents. Nick and I pulled this true story with the creative freedom to bring a story onto a written page. I hoped we covered everyone with a thank you if not, please know that we appreciate you. Jimmy Cappetto is our agent and complaint line dispatcher. You all have his number. Please check out our other book, Shopping Cart Filled With Love. Nick and I would love to hear from you the readers at [e-mail]

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the immigration of Nicolo Salupo & Carolina Cancelliere. This is their story:

Nicolo Salupo was one of many southern Italians to come to the US after 1900. He was from the village of Alcara Li Fusi near the north coast of Sicily in the province of Messina. He was in the US twice, 1906 & 1913, He and his brothers Salvatore & Sebastiano made trips back & forth to Cleveland through Ellis Island. His 2nd return was to serve in the Italian army. After WW1, Nicolo (age 31) married Carolina Cancelliere (age 22) on 9 Sep 1919. At this time, the US immigration laws began to treat southern Italians as undesirable and established small quotas. Most scrutiny was at Ellis Island. The couple made a decision to move permanently to the US in 1920. The longer voyage to Canada and entry through the port of Buffalo was less likely to result in their rejection and return to Italy.

Early in 1920, Carolina became pregnant with their first child, Rosario. They made their plans knowing she would be traveling via ship for nearly a month well into her pregnancy. The couple sailed in late July and stopped Havre, France and Southampton, England. They left Liverpool, England to cross the Atlantic on Aug 12th on the SS Melita. After 8 days, the ship made its way down the St Lawrence seaway and stopped at Quebec on 20 Aug 1920. Two days later, 22 Aug 1920, the couple was allowed to enter the US at the port of Buffalo. It is unknown how they traveled to Cleveland or when they arrived but they lived with Nicolo’s brother Salvatore in downtown Cleveland.

Carolina & Nicholas welcomed the first of their children, Rosario (Ross) Salupo, into the world on 26 Sep 1920. Nicolo left Sicily after both his parents had died and never returned. Carolina never returned to see her parents before they died. Carolina returned once in the 1950s with her daughter Maria. Both became US citizens.

Please share this story with your children and keep their memory alive. Many of you owe your life in the US to these 2 fearless souls looking for a better life.

by Vince Salupo

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In Loving memory of two special people.

Nicolo & Carolina Salupo.

Chapter 1

Salupo’s Groceries

C arolina was out filling up buckets of water for her mother at the local fresh water stream in their village. She appreciated the moments to herself in the outdoors; it helped her mind and body to relax. Indoor plumbing was a luxury that only the northern Italians enjoyed at that time in the flourishing big cities up north. This was when Carolina noticed an attractive young man, at the water stream enjoying a fresh mug of spring fed water. When he finished, he then placed his drinking mug into his homemade sack that he was carrying with him. He was walking towards her climbing the remote rocky terrain in the summertime heat. Their village was so isolated that the town had to count on a nearby stream or a spring-fed tap on the town square for their water. Everyone knew each other from the many trips the villagers had to take to get fresh water and therefore, gossip traveled quickly throughout the town. Carolina asked herself, who was this young man? He looked to be only a few years older than her, and he was so strong from all the heavy lifting on their family farm she assumed. It was easy to tell he was no stranger to hard physical work from the way he walked and carried himself.

This young man gave an awkward wave, and a soft smile filled up his broad ethnic face. He then ran his hands through his brown curly full head of hair. He looked a little lost and tried to establish his surroundings, and pulled out a small map from his shirt pocket. He stood a respectful distance from her studying the homemade paper map in his hand.

They lived in Old School Europe, where young men and women were not allowed to converse without proper adult supervision present. Everyone followed the strict rules of the times and culture. He then offered to help her carry the overflowing buckets that were weighing her down. Carolina was always very independent. She was determined to pull her own weight. She stubbornly refused his offer and walked past him climbing the path which led back to her cottage not looking back at this young man.

It was early June, and the summer rain had fallen this morning, and by midafternoon the harsh southern Sicilian sun had dried most of the earth to its core. The air was fresh, and there was a promise of new life ready to flourish in the parched landscape around their local terrain.

Carolina’s arms were tired out from all the physical labor that she completed from her early morning chores. She had already helped her mother wash the family’s laundry, by hand, and hung out the heavy wet clothes to dry on the line before anyone even thought of breakfast. Carolina had a small sized sturdy build and was no stranger to hard physical domestic work around the house or in the fields. She enjoyed working herself to her limit. It renewed her energy when she let her mind wonder to what life might be like beyond their life in their small agricultural community. So many of her friends and family were going to the new land called America where hopes and dreams were waiting for folks who were not afraid of the demands of traveling the seas to the new world. Carolina stopped to rest sitting on a large rock, and closed her eyes, and took in a few deep breaths. She enjoyed the quiet moments to herself from her busy home and let her dreams flow freely. Carolina opened her eyes to see that, a young man was passing by her again. Was he following her she wondered? He stopped, and introduced himself. Hello, my name is Nicolo Salupo. I am from a neighboring village. He then shyly looked down at the ground, and was a bit embarrassed by his own awkward bashfulness.

Nice to meet you Nicolo. I am Carolina. She studied his face and she noticed he had kind eyes, but seemed very shy and lost. Nicolo then nonchalantly pushed his heavy working boots into the moist earth moving him up the hillside. Carolina was confused and a bit frightened that this large framed man who might be following her and said to him firmly,

Am I going to have to call the constable? What are you up to? Carolina said in a firm taunting voice.

Up to? Sorry young miss. I’m not following you. I am looking for my cousin Sammy Rizzo’s home.

Ok, then, I can help you; their cottage is the one before my home. We have to be careful. There is no supervising adult to be with us.

She stood up straight rather quickly and lost her balance and fell onto the ground. She was embarrassed by her sudden awkwardness around this young man. Carolina tried to catch her fall and felt extremely uncoordinated around this stranger while she hit the earth’s rocky terrain.

Nicolo reached out in a manner of a non-thought-about reflex, and reached over and helped Carolina back up onto her feet, and that is when their hands accidentally grasped each other’s. This simple basic unintended touching of each other’s hands created a warm sensation that went to the very core of her heart. They both stood looking into each other’s eyes, and the moment seemed to last forever, and she quickly looked away from him feeling her cheeks getting red.

They were struck by a thunderbolt, that warmed their hearts in an unexplainable way.

Carolina said in a strong manner, I got the water buckets. Together they climbed up the rocky hills. Nicolo a few steps behind her started to sing a romantic Italian love song to himself. He had a nice baritone voice that carried well. Carolina listened to him singing, and it put a smile on her face. They walked side -by- side together, and she was very distracted by him. She noticed his height and easy manner. Nicolo was tall and quite handsome in a rough sort of way that she found attractive. Carolina was so unable to concentrate that she tripped over her own feet, and the water buckets tipped over and liquid gushed down all over the dirty ground. Why was she so clumsy around this young man?

Oh, no, my mother is waiting on the water for our dinner, Carolina said in an aggravated voice.

Nicolo scrambled down, picked up the buckets and said in a calm voice, No worries. We will get more water together. He picked up the buckets from the muddy earth where the water had spilled. Carolina did not refuse his help as they stumbled down the hill to the spring and refilled the water buckets and their conversation flowed lightly between the two of them.

Chapter 2

Salupo’s Groceries

N icolo placed the two buckets near the front door of Carolina’s home. Carolina thought that he wanted to chat some more because he was not turning around to leave. She noticed that Nicolo had beads of sweat coming from his forehead and lines around his eyes that displayed a curiosity of youth that danced around his long dark eyelashes. Nicolo had a sense of humor; he was pretending that his long lengthy legs were hurting and that Carolina had to carry him back down the hill to his cousin’s house.

He said in a teasing manner to her, What do ya think, can you give me a lift down the hill? Nicolo’s laughs were loud and robust, and he chuckled at his own jokes. He stood tall looking back around the rugged downhill area toward his journey to his cousin’s home. Carolina never saw him around her town before and hoped that he would visit his cousin more often. She truly hoped he would stop around her part of her village again. Everyone knew everyone, so she would definitely notice him, and would not mind more conversations with him.

Nicolo waved goodbye and started down the hill, and she was relieved that he would be leaving before her parents knew anything about meeting this young man without a chaperone. Carolina hoped that her parents were nowhere around because they would be worried that she was talking to a stranger. Rules were followed, and no young woman dared talk to a man without supervision and family blessings, and only after formal introductions were arranged. Carolina was definitely a daddy’s girl, and he was very protective of her always knowing her whereabouts. If anyone looked at her the wrong way, they would get the killer stern look from her father, commonly known as the, funja-," the harsh look that could stop anyone in their tracks. Most of the young men in her town were already married with children. There were a few young bachelors who openly expressed their interest, but Carolina did not like any of them and did not respond to their advances. Carolina credited herself in her ability of picking out good and bad character in people; it was something she had learned from her mother. Somehow, even though she hardly knew Nicolo, she had a real sense of ease around him that was unexplainable.

She hoped that her father was taking an afternoon nap, and her mother was working in the kitchen preparing supper over the hot stove unaware of their meeting with each other and the conversations they had together. Carolina’s luck ran out when standing at the door were both of her parents looking at her sternly. Carolina’s half smile faded, and then she looked back at her mom and dad at the doorway. She knew that she had better start explaining herself to them, but no words came to her. Carolina’s father stood looking sleepy but concerned, and his hair was an uncombed mess from his nap. His gray hair was sticking out, and then he ran his thick strong calloused hand on top of his head trying to look presentable. Her father was staring at Carolina, and then let out a yawn, and stretched out his tired back. Her mother reached down and picked up the two- tin water containers then walked them to the kitchen. Carolina’s mother then turned back and stood next to her husband looking at their daughter. She had her hair tied up in a tight bun on top of her head and a gray apron tied around her waist.

Carolina had hoped that Nicolo had already made the turn around the edge of the mountain and was out of their scope of vision; unfortunately, he did not get far. She had both fingers crossed behind her back, in an attempt to not upset her parents for breaking the rules.

Carolina, who were you talking to? Her father asked not giving her time to answer him. Carolina’s father then walked quickly past her and down towards the rugged terrain that took a sharp right off their property.

Carolina looked down at her worn-out shoes and kept her mouth quiet. Her mother pulled her right up to her and into the doorway of their home. They were both eye level, and her mother said in a high-pitched voice, Answer your father! Carolina, who were you talking to?

Only, a boy I met by the water pump.

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