This story was passed on to me by my sisters. It happened before I was born. I think it's worth telling.
My sisters said “Mickey was a problem child.” Naturally, sisters pick on the brother. He always got in trouble in school, and was mischievous at home. He was more trouble than the other six children. My Mother had her hands full with this one son.
This one day he hitched a ride on the back of a horse drawn vehicle (this was before the auto). My Mother saw him and yelled to him, “Get off.” My brother dropped off, but lost his footing and fell on his back in the road. Right behind was a two horse drawn wagon. The horses started to run over him. My Mother screamed in horror, fear and anguish as she saw this happen. She threw her hands to her face and screamed (in Italian) “My son, my son.”
But miracles do happen. No horse's hoof or wagon wheels touched the boy. My Mother was crying and holding her eyes covered, not wanting to see a wounded child. Mickey walked up to her saying, “Ma, I am OK. Look, I am ok.”
With that, my Mother started to spank him for hitching a ride. My brother later remarked that he wondered if a horse's hoof would have hurt less.