~ Malden Musings ~ Fundraiser for Wayne Martineau on Friday, Nov. 14

By Peter Levine

Time to step up for one of our own — Wayne Martineau! Every now and then, life throws one of the good guys a curveball — and that’s when a city like Malden shows what it’s made of. Well, friends, it’s time for us to step up for our good friend Wayne Martineau. For years, Wayne has been the guy you could always count on — the one who never says no when someone needs a hand (hello, Bob Rotondi?). Now, it’s our turn to return that kindness.

The Martineau family, proud Maldonians through and through, have given so much to this city — through public service, volunteer work, and their simple everyday acts of generosity that make Malden feel like home. But right now, they’re facing an unexpected medical crisis that’s put a heavy strain on them. And as anyone who’s ever met Wayne or his family knows — if there were ever folks deserving of a helping hand, it’s them.

Every dollar raised will go directly to the Martineaus to help with medical expenses and ease the stress during this difficult time. Whether you give a little or a lot, your support will make a real difference for this hardworking, big-hearted family who’ve spent a lifetime lifting others up.

So, let’s do what Malden does best — come together. Join us Friday night, November 14 (6–10 p.m.) at Mixx360 for a night of community, generosity and good old-fashioned Maldonian spirit. Admission is free but they will be accepting $5 or $10 donations at the door for a door prize, with plenty of raffles, baskets and chances to give back.

If you can’t make it, no worries — a GoFundMe page has been set up, and you can reach out to Gia Finocchiaro (781-307-3854) for donation info or to use the QR code included with this article.

Let’s fill Mixx360 with the same warmth and compassion Wayne’s shown us for years. Because when one of our own needs help — Malden always answers the call.

It is said in “Malden Musings”…

• I ran into Newland Street’s Edward Willcox last week at the Big Y in Malden North aka West Peabody. Always a pleasure to run into a proud Son of Newland Street! A wicked good kid growing up — Eddie was one of those guys who just dominated every sport he played. My choice for the most underrated athlete from back when we were growing up in the 1970s through the 1980s and beyond. He was simply relentless in football, hoops and softball. But wrestling? Fuhgeddaboudit!! Nobody better! Great seeing you, Edward!
• We get letters…take it away Mike “Class of MHS ’74” Ruggelo: “Hey Peter. Another great article. Your stories of school pickup basketball brought back childhood memories. I was born in Chelsea and moved to Malden in ’64. My best friend on John Street in Chelsea was a kid named Bruce Garner. We used to shoot hoops in his yard. Inevitably his dad would come down and start teaching us. I actually remember hating that part. Turned out to be, his dad was Arnie Garner, the trainer at the time for the Milwaukee Bucks. I tried out for basketball at Lincoln…got annoyed when they would blow a whistle seemingly every time I touched someone. One day the coach (Lou) Racca yelled, ‘Hey Ruggelo, I told you, you can’t check people… stick to hockey.’ So that was the last time I played. I did take his advice though and play hockey at least three times a week in various beer leagues. Thanks for the stories, I really enjoy reading them. (PS) did you know (1974 MHS baseball pitching stud) Buddy Demontier polished his skates in white so opposing players would give him (a hard time) hence giving him a reason to beat the daylights out of them. He just loved to fight.” Great stuff, Mike! Buddy D liked to fight? We must be thinking of different Buddy Ds. Insert smiley face and thanks again, Roogie!
• Speaking of Hockey… Many intense games of street hockey were played in the 16 Julia St. driveway of Eddie “Big Brother of Kevin aka Mr. Maplewood” Larson — the only family in the neighborhood with two goalie nets! Kevin went on the coach the Greater Boston CYO high school hockey team Saint Peter’s Parish to two State CYO Hockey championships. Never to be forgotten memories of Brian (Boogaloo) Powers’ slap shot playing for Edgeworth News Senior No Check League back in the late 80s and John “Tags” Taglieri between the pipes!
• Oy vey! On November 4, Malden went to the polls. If you checked the numbers, well, some of us did. Insert sad face. Seems Malden made a few choices that raised more than a few eyebrows. As Bob Zimmerman once opined, “the times they are a changin’” — this, my friends, is an understatement! I was certainly “drenched to the bone” and need much more time to process this past November 4. Stayed tuned.

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” — the Yahrzeit candle flickered to life Wednesday night, October 22 — four years to the day since my father left this world. Hard to wrap my head around that number, because in my mind’s eye he’s still here — larger than life, a walking force of nature whose shadow still stretches across our family table. You half expect him to stroll in, get out of his (on occasion, bloody) work clothes and say, “So what’s for supper, Dotty?” like he never left.

He was our rock — solid, steady, unshakable — the man we leaned on when the wind blew a little too hard. And though his passing didn’t come as a shock, it still hit like a “Rapid” Johnny Rafuse right cross to the ribs — the kind that takes your breath away before you even realize what happened.

My pops would tell us stories from his past. He had a million of ’em — and most aged very well. It didn’t matter how many times we’d heard them. Mostly we’d still hang on every word, as kids and as adults, because in his hands the exciting Boston of yesteryear came alive. You could see the faces, smell the streets of the old West End and feel the punchlines land solidly.

Dad didn’t grow up with silver spoons or summer homes — he came up hard on the streets of Boston’s old West End, before Rappaport’s gang bulldozed it into memory. And from those streets came a treasure trove of tales — “true stories, mind you” — as Solomon himself would say, with that familiar grin, right before launching into another.

So, when that candle burned in the window Wednesday night, it wasn’t just for remembrance — it was a spark of him, lighting up the stories, the laughter and the love that refuses to fade.

One story in particular was always held near and dear to my heart because of the individual involved. Here is that story told (once again) “Malden Musings” style filtered through the years from when it was originally told.

My father, like Matt Dillon, was the first man they looked for and the last they wanted to see growing up on those mean streets of the old West End. From tales I heard growing up, he might have turned a few nights into day and was one tough son of a Russian immigrant. Marriage, children and responsibility eventually came calling and took a bit of the edge off him but not before he sowed a few wild seeds.

Jerry aka Solomon once shared a gem of a story with us about a chance encounter with none other than fellow West Ender Leonard Nimoy, long before he became the iconic Mr. Spock. It was 1952, and Nimoy had just starred in his first film, “Kid Monk Baroni,” a gritty tale about a tough street kid who finds his way into the boxing ring. Much like Nimoy himself. NOT! Insert smiley face. Born and raised in Boston’s old West End, Nimoy was one of the more famous people who called the West End home — along with actress Ruth Roman, film producer Joseph E. Levine, founder of Berklee College of Music Lawrence Berk, my uncle Frank (Lavine), media magnate Sumner Redstone and the first woman to ride around the world on a bicycle (yeah, there was such a person!), Annie “Londonderry” Cohen Kopchovsky.

On that particular day, my father and one of his good-time pals (Salvi G?) were strolling down Chambers Street in the West End when they spotted Nimoy walking on the opposite side. Without missing a beat, my father’s friend — never one to pass up an opportunity for some well-placed bean busting — shouted across the street, critiquing Nimoy’s Kid Monk performance. The gist of his comment? Nimoy’s portrayal of a street tough didn’t quite hit the mark, and his acting chops? Let’s just say they left something to be desired, according to Salvi.

How did Nimoy respond? With a characteristic shrug, a knowing smile and not a single word. He simply kept walking — straight into pop culture history.

Postscript: “Malden Musings” Remembers the Last Light of a Bygone Era… On this, the 52nd anniversary of his passing (July 1973, age 81), we tip our scalley cap to the last “Old Lamplighter” of Malden: Edward Sheedy. A proud lifelong Maldonian who called 389 Highland Ave. home, Eddie was more than a man — he was a living link to a gentler, less stressful past. In the early days of the 20th century, when the Fells was bathed in the soft amber glow of gas lanterns, it was Eddie who brought the night to life. By horse and buggy, he made his rounds, lighting each lamp by hand (imagine?) — one flick of the flame at a time, one glow against the gathering Maldonia dark. His service to his country didn’t stop at the Maldonia city limits. Eddie proudly wore the uniform of the U.S. Navy during “The Great War” — World War I — and later worked at the Boston Naval Shipyard, doing his part for peace in the world after lighting the way at home.

Today, he rests in quiet dignity at Forestdale Cemetery (thank you, Chris Rosa, for maintaining the high standards that your predecessor Jimmy “Who?” Cahill so strived for at the Cem), but his story still glows in the hearts of those of us who care. Always to be remembered in “Malden Musings” — here’s to Ed Sheedy — a true original, a (true) keeper of the flame and one of Malden’s very own homegrown heroes. Lest we forget…

—Peter is a longtime Malden resident and a regular contributor to The Malden Advocate. He can be reached at Pe*****@*ol.com for comments, compliments or criticisms.