Many years ago I was at a family get-together in Brooklyn. I was a youngster and the party was on Sidney Place in Brooklyn Heights. The home was owned by my father's brother's wife's great aunt. That old lady had a cousin named Murphy and he was a former NY Supreme Court Judge. We called him Uncle Murph. That man never went anywhere without being in an expensive suit and shined shoes and in winter time a cashmere overcoat. He never married and was no doubt a gaylord.

It's New Year's Eve 1959 or 1960 and we're having a party. It's cold outside. I was 11 or 12. Uncle Murph rolls in decked out magnificently in his expensive suit and overcoat. Uncle Murph liked to toss a few. He goes to the stairs to make his way to bed.

My uncle Ed asked Uncle Murph if it was cold outside. Uncle Murph didn't want anybody to know that he had been drinking and just wanted to say, "It's below zero."

It comes out, "It's bleerzo."

Gap of 5 seconds and Uncle Murph says, "Oh fuck it, I've had a load on most times since 1916. Good night all."

You could not grow up with better laughs than I did.