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Four cousins were born weeks apart from four sets of first-generation immigrant parents—three boys, one girl. The family was close, and the four were practically raised as siblings. The girl—Paddy—had crystal-blue eyes and the signature “old country” red hair. So pretty was she that her cousins called her “Paddy Melt” since all the boys seemed to turn to butter when she was around. The cousins protected her like she was a pot of gold, and the young men barely had a chance to introduce themselves to her, given the cousins’ watchful eyes.
The boys, full of personality, had the “devil’s eye.” They laughed loudly, ate heartily, and exhibited great loyalty to the family and tradition. “Aye, how I pity the girls that try to settle those three down,” one of the aunts often said.
Earning Their Keep
But time passed and the boys became men, and the men needed to earn a living.