7.18.2011

Take The Monster Down

Being in the pool this Summer has been a painful reminder of missing Peter. While I spent the day at Peter Steele's neice Nancy's house, with Pete's other neice Marie, Marie's daughter Tristan, her fiance Ty, our mother, Pat (Pete's sister) and Pete's grand-neice Siobhan. While playing a game of Punch Ball/Dodge Ball in the pool, I couldn't stop thinking of the days gone by. While Tristan was jumping on me, trying to get the ball out of my arms,  and Ty pulled my feet out from under me, I remember Summers when we'd play, "Take the Monster Down."

And who do you think was the MONSTER?



It would be all of us in Nettie's cold pool in the backyard on East 18th Street. All the neices - Nancy, Michelle, Tara, Marie and I - and Pete with a cheap blow-up ball. First, if we couldn't throw him in the pool, he'd cannonball jump into it. Then it was a game of who could get the ball away from him, while he tried to drown us, or run in circles with five little girls trailing behind him grabbing at his feet or accidently scratching him with our fingernails. He'd use his big hands to hold us back by our heads, as he screamed and we chased him.

And he trained us well. From the time I was 5 yo, till just a few years ago, Pete played this game with us. Of course, as we got older, he had a harder time with us.

I remember one time, we were all at Nancy's pool. All the neices and Pete playing dodge ball, which quickly grew into  "Take the Monster down." Pete was standing in the middle of the pool - the deepest part - on his flat feet holding the ball high over his head with one hand. So, figure the ball was about 7 feet high. Marie and Tara had managed to climb on top of him, with Tara trying to climb up to his shoulders. He kept one hand holding onto the the blow up ball, and the other he used to push Marie off of him. Nancy and I swam under the water to bite his ankles. Michelle I believe was able to get the ball from him by cannonballing almost ontop of him, he lost his balance and dropped the ball. Then we fought each other until one of us got it. Peter easily grabbed it away with one long arm and ran out of the pool with it. I remember being yelled at by my mother for screaming so loud, but by then we were all in a fit of laughter, while we chased him around the pool till he jumped back in. 

The best part of all this is we were all adults ... acting like silly kids ... enjoying the day with our Uncle Monster.

19 comments:

  1. This story has really made me sad. What mixed emotions you all must have when remembering these times and doing these things without Peter there. You must smile but with tears rolling down your face. At this very moment I am glad I didnt know Peter because I dont want to feel what you must feel. We used to get yelled at for screaming too loud also..and it was usually my brother screaming! Never lose the kid inside you.

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  2. Another beautiful family memory! Such a cute picture of Pete; he looked like such a happy little kid. His lyrics and music helped many of us through some dark times. . .I hope he realized what a great family he had; he was truly blessed on this Earth with such a loving family. Now we just have the music, and the memories. On my way to work today, I think I'm going to listen to Haunted . . .

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  3. He had a size advantage! Unfair! Like trying to scale a skyscraper, no doubt. Fun stuff.

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  4. You made me laugh! Swam under the water, to bite his ankle! So, you had better had the fangs!
    I.

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  5. Who knew this kid would become such a great rockstar?! :) But your memories and thoughts make me still sad. Especially at this grey rainy summer day. Life is so unfair. :( ♥

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  6. What a great story! I have tears in my eyes right now because of the the pain it has in it. But it also makes me want to smile as I can just picture him enjoying his supreme physical advantage over all of you, being the center of the melee, and the laughter, Thank you for sharing all your memories with us. Peace.

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  7. It's hard to imagine those elegantly chiseled cheekbones and gothic-gorgeous eyes were once in a chubby little face like that... amazing what time can do, eh?

    Great story - thanks!

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  8. I think this is one of the loveliest posts I've read here, including the pic!! Thank you so much for sharing such priceless, funny memories.

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  9. Thank you for sharing your memories with us, they mean as much to us as they mean to you :) *Hugs*

    Amy Wigle

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  10. I would say this is one of my faves posted here so far. It made me laugh, made my heart hurt for your loss and even brought tears to my eyes. I am so very sorry for your loss. We fans may say we miss and adore HIM but nodoby has that right truly besides HIS family & close friends. Pete had to be thee most aaaaaaaamazing person to know and love within that uncle shell. I loved the ankle biting part!! I pictures all of this within my mind and what an amazing sight. 5 lil girls screaming as HE is giggling full of laughter. I love HIS laugh. Thank you so very much for sharing this story. It has made my day.

    REST IN PEACE PETE. <3

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  11. It's great that he has so much family members who still love him and think of what once was and share their memories on this blog

    I had a big smile and pictured the setting : a tall strong man who enjoyed an unequal and therefore funny fight with his little nieces. Nice.
    I remember these same kind of fights with my dad when I was little up till my teens.

    In my country there's a saying : to tease somenone is to ask for his/her love :-)

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  12. When I opned the blog today and saw Peter's picture I had to say, "awwwww." He just reminds me of a boy who you would want to make your best friend. What a lucky guy he was so to have such a loving family. It truly does mean a lot to so many people that you are open enough to share your memories. I read this blog everyday and it gives me perspective about who and what is important in life and what and who we can dismiss as meaningless. Bless you and your family as they step into their second year without Peter. I hope we fans and readers can provide you some comfort.

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  13. Rosemarie from NY1:26 PM, July 18, 2011

    I would have loved every minute of having Peter as my brother. I have a brother, we used to have fun as kids in NY...those were good times. Sweet story.

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  14. Awesome story !! Thank you for sharing :)

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  15. Oh, this has got to be the sweetest pic of him as a kid. Looks like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.

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  16. Hi girls--

    Thanks for sharing more great family memories; this brought a smile and tears to my face. It also reminded me of the times (similar) we used to have at my aunt & uncle's pool. And what a picture--what time does to a person! This is great, priceless. We all have a little kid inside--never let go of that. :)
    Love & Gratitude--Patty P

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  17. lol,..sounds like alot fun ya all had..bet you miss him alot still too..probably even more everyday. even though I didnt know him..(and so wished I could have) I miss him alot for you and your family and his friends and the fans..I mourn for you all. and wish there was a way to bring him back so all could be happy and joyful again. Peter was a very special 1 in a million kind of guy. hoping hes in peace up there. dont ya all wish he could be cloned? man that be so awesome if you could actually do that. when you visit him again let him know that he is still loved and missed very very much all over the world.and alot soo wish he could come back.
    alot are still having a hard time dealing with his loss..including myself.still cant believe hes gone. just doesnt seem fair at all. life can sure suck at times.blahhh.
    another good story..I pictured you all as well and was laughing and then tears.Peter had a nice smile..and humor. loved that amounst other things about him. so wish he could come back. I bet he gave great loving hugs too. would have loved to have had him hug me. probably would have melted in his arms though..lol.
    anyways keep up the good blogs and everybody stay cool,healthy and safe..ya all take care too. I'll be thinking of you.
    Brenda.

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  18. great story,and the picture is really cute too.you must have had a good size yard for new york to have a pool,sounds like fun.the thing i enjoy most about these posts is it shows what a close loving family you all are.thanks for sharing.

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  19. Envying you again, this time for having this much summer pool-time fun. Seems like Pete was much more fun than my brothers. I love them dearly, but shooting hoops and torching plastic toys with them wasn't nearly as entertaining as Take Down the Monster or the underwater ankle sneak attack. Priceless!
    Pete looks like such a sweet & kind, yet mischievous young boy in the photo. *awwww!* It reminds me of an interview in which he described the psychological impact of going through a rapid, pronounced transformation into adulthood. His words truly hit home with me that time. It's no wonder he became a shy man expressing himself through artistic endeavors. Trusting anyone other than family when peers suddenly change their behavior due to new appearance factors is almost impossible, especially in younger years. It just seems like everyone has an agenda when it happens, mostly because they do, and the impact is usually lifelong. Thank goodness the Ratajczyk family was close enough to help him handle it as well as he did and he had friends and bandmates who understood.
    He must've valued time with all of you very deeply for having loved and cared about him all along. Summer pool-time with Pete must've been a blast no matter which year it was. Glad you have so many fond memories of time spent with your uncle, happy enough to miss him this much and carry on the tradition.

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