There were two Mordente families in Dundee way back then and both as far as a know were related, and brothers. Now, there are many different unrelated Mordentes.
One.....old John Mordente, had a dentist's on Lochee high st and above what is now a money lenders...next to, and slightly down from the now closed Royal Bank.
Commonly known as ' Mordenture' he was pals with my father and why I had to go to him for my dental check ups.
As a dentist, he terrified everyone, was as rough as boar's shit, and as suttle as Heinrich Himmler......but got the job done.
The other Mordente had the Amalfi chipper on Arklay St after buying it in 1961 from my dad.
I know you'll remember that one.
The Roncone's had the chipper on Alexander St at the corner of Wellington, and closed down a few years ago....all were visitors to the old Club Romano which held 'court' under St Andrews Cathedral on the Perth rd.....back in the day.
I honestly don't know of a connection between them, but can remember going to the photography shop at the top of Albert st and Morgan Tce near the chemists for 35 mm film spools..but don't recall it being an Italian proprietary.
The rest is uncanny!
But, you SP, have massaged my cerebral memonic meanderings.
Please allow me to iterate.
My older sister went out with a Lorenzo Roncone in the 70's, who moved to America in the 80's, and split up with him because she said he was too gorgeous to trust. She also said he always drew the attention of every girl they passed, and would always smile pleasantly at them....even to their mothers...... there were often guys starting fights with him for little reason. He just smiled that cocky way he had and walked on.
I knew he went to John Rodgers 'Tae Kwan Do' training gym in the presbytery of St Mary's chapel on Ann St and could look after himself.... if you can remember John Rodgers, an absolute gentleman, and arguably Dundee's best street fighter, and supremely fit.
At a frac under 6 foot 4, Lorenzo was about 24 ...the fucking dead spit of a young Frank Sinatra, and did he know AND use it!
But....Lorenzo always wanted to be John Travolta.....
In my opinion he was much darker haired and eyed to be a Sinatra, and....I still say he looked more of Rocky... Sylvester Stallone clone...just taller.
He sometimes had this "look at me" grin with the flawless big teeth smile....that showed just how ridiculous he was.
When in the Windsor bar on a night out, I saw him brushing his teeth in the toilets.....he was gone so long, I went to look for him, and caught him putting the brush quickly back in his pocket.
But whatever he did....it worked!
Friday June 2nd 1978.
When I was 18, we went to Tiffanys nightclub, and Grease was on at the ABC Seagate cinema.
The only time I went there with him, there were a whole table of girls from the Murraygate Marks and Spencers branch on a hen night out.
Every guy in the place was watching them and there were a few darlings in there, for sure!
The next bit SP, is exactly as I tell it.
It didn't take long though, but...didn't turn out the way I thought!
One girl, came towards us, as if to go to the toilet, but went a longer way round..... just to pass us. She stopped to chat and opened with do you know you look like John Travolta, has any one ever told you that?
I looked at Lorenzo and waited for him to answer her.
He then looked at me and said, "are you going to answer her"?
I looked back at her, she was stunning, but I was already seeing someone who I thought was to die for, ....but she was asking me the question.
I said to her " yes, a few times" ....which was true but not so's it affected me.
I always wanted to be liked.....for the way I was, not for looking like Elvis, Travolta, or Shakin' Stevens.
Anyway that pissed Lorenzo right off, and later said " that's why this place is known as Tiffanys...... two fannys.... Don't pick up one fanny, pick up two fannys"....he was seriously upset!!!!!
...and he wouldn't go back there again.
......my sisters, said to me please don't turn out like him......
To be fair to them....I haven't, to be fair to him he wasn't that bad a guy......and when I went to South Africa after a very good friend of mine had died, I heard he'd gone to live in the USA.
Somehow, I expect to see him standing alongside Donald Trump......someday .....soon...
I could go on about Lorenzo.....he was a stoater......too good looking for the UK, ...but I'll tell you some more.... if you want to hear, next time we're havin' a beer.
Cheers mate.....Brought Ferry tonight.....
Well SP, .....it was Bill C who started it.!.....He did ask....
