In real life we jokingly call one another Florence and Franklin. Those are not our real names, but Flo and Frank were very real people.
Over a century ago, back in Europe, the parents of the real Flo and Frank bought their daughter and son the most affordable tickets they could--in steerage-- and packed them off to this most wondrous place that they had heard of: New York City, in far away America. The two young immigrants did not speak much English. Frank was protective and looked after his beloved sister. People on the boat and in the United States misunderstood the pairs relationship, and believed them to be husband and wife.
The two found work, earned money, lived frugally, and saved to bring their younger siblings and finally their parents to America. They cared for each other, everyone already thought they were married. So, they lived as a couple bringing several children into this world together. But when the rest of the family got to New York City they did not approve of what Frank and Flo had done together.
Our grandfather told us this story when we were... Well, he told us the story. Which didn't please grandmother or our parents, but grandfather was proud of his... Well, he was proud of his unconventional forebearers. He said that they didn't let a bunch of silly rules stop them from doing what was right. They lived, loved, worked hard, raised their kids and brought the whole family to this country. That nobody who looked down on them held a candle to them.
In our family the story of Florence and Frank was different things to different people. The story of courage and unconventional solutions. Or a cautionary tale of one decision outweighing everything else that two extraordinary people did in two lifetimes.
The answer to why we, a brother and a sister call each other Florence and Franklin should not be hard to discern. That story begins in October of 1972.
Over a century ago, back in Europe, the parents of the real Flo and Frank bought their daughter and son the most affordable tickets they could--in steerage-- and packed them off to this most wondrous place that they had heard of: New York City, in far away America. The two young immigrants did not speak much English. Frank was protective and looked after his beloved sister. People on the boat and in the United States misunderstood the pairs relationship, and believed them to be husband and wife.
The two found work, earned money, lived frugally, and saved to bring their younger siblings and finally their parents to America. They cared for each other, everyone already thought they were married. So, they lived as a couple bringing several children into this world together. But when the rest of the family got to New York City they did not approve of what Frank and Flo had done together.
Our grandfather told us this story when we were... Well, he told us the story. Which didn't please grandmother or our parents, but grandfather was proud of his... Well, he was proud of his unconventional forebearers. He said that they didn't let a bunch of silly rules stop them from doing what was right. They lived, loved, worked hard, raised their kids and brought the whole family to this country. That nobody who looked down on them held a candle to them.
In our family the story of Florence and Frank was different things to different people. The story of courage and unconventional solutions. Or a cautionary tale of one decision outweighing everything else that two extraordinary people did in two lifetimes.
The answer to why we, a brother and a sister call each other Florence and Franklin should not be hard to discern. That story begins in October of 1972.
