-Transformed by the Tinkling- By Anthony Sicilia
I never thought I would ever use those three words in a description of having a good time. However this is the millennial age and it is about time this 80’s baby gives the youngsters some much needed words of wisdom as it relates to social events.
This world is a very big one and to be honest with you, everyone’s a stranger to someone until they meet them. No I’m not talking about looking UP your friends on social media who you have never seen. I am not talking about the type of friends you socialize with at the bar and I’m not talking about friends you debate with over who has the better hair. Uncle Jesse of FULL HOUSE OR or Zach Morris of Saved By The Bell;
What I am talking about is a family gathering… But what happens when you as one of the guests’ are an the outsider looking in?
What I am mean by that is, I wasn’t a member of family for either the bride or the groom. I was just simply invited because I was that plus one on the invite card that everyone always asks about but doesn’t know if they’re going to ever RSVP to the festivities.
As a the plus one invite to said gathering. I was cultured shocked in a huge way. I know what my readers are thinking. I even know the question they are going to ask me next. How am I, a Canadian who was I a traditionally raised Italian culture shocked? The long and short of it is Non ‘cera vino al partito.” or to translate for the English. There was no wine at the party! Not even one drop. As an Italian I was shocked because when it was first mentioned about the party. I had already convinced myself that it was a bad idea. Simply because I know the kind of gathering I was accustomed to going to always involved alcohol in some stein, mug, keg tap or bottle. I have long since been labeled as a square by my less conservative friends and family for not going to a party with wild music such as rock and roll or a party with drinking. Usually at the Italian parties I’m familiar with have plenty of “strong grape juice” followed by the after effects of what the aforementioned strong grape juice can do to people… Usually the
end result is “Tony not talking to Giovanni” for two months because of some old bitter history… The amo for the argument was of course, “the grapes of wrath…”
Well folks, it has been three years since I have made that claim and honored it and yesterday during Charolette and Roland pre wedding shower my point was finally scientifically proven that you don’t need alcohol to a have a good time. 
So as Daniel’s angel in the den shut closed the mouths of roaring lions. My scientific observations concluded that a good time can be had without any “liquid courage,” while in the process my observations also closed the case in a landslide victory over the narrow sided opinions down of some Italian wine drinkers. Even though now that my observations are correct. I may have made the angry family list. It doesn’t matter to me one bit.
A good time was had by one and all. All it took was food , friends and their family members to unite as one so that that the soon to be husband and wife could simply jump the bamboo before jumping the broom in a Filipino cultural dance known as the tinkling. 
