Love at First Sight? The Story of Frank & Aloysia's First Encounter

A memory of a family story written by Michael Hansen Sep 2007

Dear Carin,
Here is a contribution to the site , which I should have done a long time ago. Do you have in your notes how Grandma and Grandpa Drab met? In the second decade of the twentieth century both Frank and Aloysia lived and worked in the area of Bayshore, LI. On a Sunday afternoon they would both go bike-riding in the park. Now Aloysia Vodicka was quite a looker, as is evident from period photographs. As they passed each other on the bike path, going in opposite directions, Frank's head was obviously turned. As he was gazing at this receding beauty he wasn't looking where he was going and ran headlong into a tree. Aloysia heard the sound of collision and looked back to see Frank all tangled in his bike, lying on the ground. Compassionate as she was, (and by the way, Frank wasn't exactly ugly either), she turned around to help him. And the rest, as they say, is history. (Family History) This has to a unique, if not risky, way to flirt!
love, Uncle Michael

I have been told that Michael's memory above may have been romanticized a bit, but only in the telling that it was Frank that fell off the bicycle.  Apparently according to Father John Drab (one of Aloysia & Frank's sons) the overall story is correct but that it was Aloysia who was riding the bicycle and fell off it when she saw Frank!  That makes the story a bit more interesting if you ask me.  Either way it is a story of a beginning that would put a smile on anyone's face.

About the photo...

The photo above is a scan of a small photograph (2.5 x 4.5) found in Louise's possessions. It is probably one of the earliest, if not the earliest photos of Aloysia with her in-laws (or future in-laws as they may not have been married yet). There is no date on the photo but it does state on the back that it is the Drab family and lists the names of the people as follows:

Top Left to Right:

• Mary Souhrada... not clear of the connection but she is said to be a Drab or Vodicka relative 
• Barbara (Aunt)... this is the same Aunt Barbara Drab in the Drab Portrait of 1909*
• Frank John (Uncle).... this is actually John Drab shown in the Drab Portrait of 1909, Barbara's husband*

Bottom Left to Right:

• Aloysia Vodicka
• Mary Drab... may be the same Mary Drab in the Drab Portrait of 1909
• Frank Drab... he was the first cousin to our Frank Drab that Aloysia married (they shared the same name)*

It is likely that our Frank Drab was the person taking the photo since Aloysia is appearing here with all his family.

* a cousin Frank Drab of FL who is a direct descendant of the three asterisked people in the photo confirmed their identities