CANDY MAN

Nishan Roubian, 1938,  at the "breaking of ground" for the Armenian Brethren Church in Watertown, Massachusetts.   Photo thanks to Mari Kricorian who left the photo to her son who gave the photo to his daughter, the author Nancy Kricorian

Nishan Roubian was a joyous member of the United Armenian Brethren Evangelical Church on Arsenal Street in Watertown, Massachusetts.  The children loved Uncle Nishan, as they should have called him; Candy Man as they did call him.  Every Sunday, after (a seemingly) unending church service, the children would run down the front stairs of the church to Candy Man, who would always be waiting on the sidewalk at the foot of the stairs (how did he get there so quickly) with his left hand in his pocket.  The children would run to him shouting, "Candy Man, Candy Man," grins on their faces, excitement in their voices.  As they approached, he would reach into his pocket and take out a handful of white, sugar-coated almonds, (Did he save them from all the weddings he went to?  Did he buy them especially for Sundays?) holding his hand out to the children who were jumping up and down, encircling him.  Candy Man, Candy Man, they all shouted.  Uncle Nishan, their parents admonished them.  Candy Man, Candy Man, the children shouted, as they crunched on the gift he always had awaiting them in the left pocket of his Sunday "go to meeting" jacket.