Popular Posts

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

REGGIE'S WAGGIEST TALES, This little Piggy Goes to City Hall



     Wow, what a day that was! It all happened on
April 18, 1996. What happened you ask? My trip to
Philadelphia City Hall to see His Honor, Mayor, Ed Rendell. 
     Since it was early I slept all the way there. When I woke up we were sitting in front of this huge building, which Mom said was City Hall. I really didn't know just what that was, but I was about to find out.
     Dad pulled the van up onto the sidewalk and unloaded me and all my stuff. Mom put my hat and sunglasses on and away we went. 
     What a place. Inside there were these huge steps that went on forever and ever. Since I hate elevators so much, Mom said that we would have to do the steps. We had to go to the next floor so that wasn't too bad. We were a little early so we had to wait in this little room with chairs all around. Mom told me that it was Mayor Rendell's outer office. What a neat place!
     Well of course, we caused quite a fuss.Everyone came in to see me in my daisy hat, scarf and sunglasses, and I did some tricks, for treats of course.
And being the cute little piggy that I am made everyone
stop what they were doing to come, look and meet us. I
started getting a little tired so I just climbed up on one of the chairs and sat myself down to wait. 
     Finally the big moment arrived! This big door to Mayor Rendell's office swung open and we were asked to come inside. I was so excited I could hardly grunt.

     Mom says that I had better tell those of you that
don't know why we were there that day. 

On December 12. 1995 our club was asked to hold a beauty pageant for the opening for the off Broadway Show, "State Fair" in the Merriam Theater on Broad Street in Philadelphia, PA ,and Mayor Rendell was one of our judges that day. 
So our potbellied pig club wanted to thank him, and Mom and Dad had this really neat picture that Dad look of me and Mayor Rendell and Mom. 
So the club bought this really cool
picture frame and Mom had it engraved (that means scratching  some words in it or something). that said:
Orations of Oinks..
To Mayor Rendell
For Hamming it Up With
The DVPPA
December 12,1995



      It came out real cool. Mom has some pictures of it if
anyone wants to see them at our next meeting.
     Well hack to my visit with His Honor, The Mayor. What a guy' He was really cool. As soon as we all got into his big office on the second floor he came down on the floor with me ,and that is where he stayed the entire time we were there. He even took my sunglasses off so be could get a better Iook at my face. I think he liked me a lot. I did some of my tricks for him and all the other people that were there with me. I even spelled PIG with my flash cards for  him. Boy were they impressed.
      As soon as Mom could get his attention, she presented him with our picture and an honorary membership card for our club  specially for him the mayor. I think he
liked them because he showed everyone in the office and then be put our picture on the shelf with all his other
pictures so that everyone that came into his office could
see it. Imagine that, me the Reg ,in the office of the
Mayor of Philadelphia, PA.  Boy did I get the treats that day. I also got to meet the Secretary of Agriculture and they brought a Senator from Italy in to meet me.
     Mom told them that my name is Reggie DiNolfi and I was an Italian potbellied pig. They sure laughed at that one! I really think that I impressed them. I was so good. I tried to show everyone just how great we little pot bellies really are.
      After I was all finished showing off my intelligence and sophistication we all said our good-byes
and headed for the stairs. That is when Mom told me
that we were going to see City Council on the 4th floor.
Yep, you guessed it, the steps, 164 altogether. Mom counted them on the way up What a
climb!
      Mom told me we were going to see  City
Council because of an old law that won't let pot bellies
live in the city of Philadelphia. It seems that people
think we should be killed for food or something like that.
The old law states that after 5 days in the city of
Philadelphia all swine should be slaughtered. Boy what
a bum rap that is. A lot of us little pot bellies are living
in fear of losing our happy homes because of that law.
      So Mom said since we were already here that we
should try our luck with City Council to get that old law
changed.

     Boy did we get the attention up there. They almost let us into the council chambers, but instead Channel 17- TV actually left the meeting and came out in the hall to us. They asked all kinds of questions of Mom and Susan about why we were there. Mom and Susan told them just what we wanted and then they put Mom, Debbie and me on TV that night.



Well I think they got
the point and we made some contacts to try and get that old swine law changed, but we have a long way to go and a lot of help is needed.
After that, you guessed it. Down 164 steps to
the street and my cozy crate and we  headed for home.
I was so tired  I slept all the way home.
I hope that what I did that day can help some little piggies
stay in their homes. I am so glad that I got to meet
Mayor Rendell. I liked him a lot and think he was
impressed  with pot bellies in general. I hope if the time
ever comes, that he will see it in his heart to stick up for
all us little pigs so we can live with our families and
continue our good work in Nursing Homes and Schools and
just making everyone happy.
Until Next Time,
Your Goodwill Ambassador
The Reg
Keep the Treats Coming!

This true story was just one of the many articles that I wrote for Reggie. She had a  bimonthly column called: " Reggies' Waggiest Tales", in our Potbellied pig club, The Delaware Valley Potbellied Pig Association's news letter, The Valley Squealer.
I found this in my files and I wanted to share it. This is one of the many things we did together years ago to fight the old zoning laws against the potbellied pig. Reggie was then and is still since she has gone over the Rainbow bridge,the biggest activist,and ambassador for the pet pig that ever lived.
Thank you Reggie girl ,Mommy loves you.


No comments:

Post a Comment