Singin' Along With 'Big Al'

Over plates of hot Italian sausage and tart green peppers, some 500 enthusiastic supporters awaited the arrival Monday night of their idol, Alfred E. Vellucci, an incumbent candidate for Cambridge City Council.

"I paid my three bucks for this meal 'cause Al's my kind of man," said 68-year-old Louis F. Agnate. "He's done more for the senior citizens than any living human being."

Agnate played with his yellow "I'm Number One for 'Big Al' Vellucci" button and added, "He's the only man in Cambridge who gives out free meals to the elderly, sets up bingo games and passes out Christmas baskets to the needy. He's the poor-man's candidate."

Vellucci's crowd had converged into the Chez Marie Suite at Porter Square's Stephen James Restaurant to dance and soak up the free liquor.

Agnate said he helped organize the distribution of cards advertising the Independent slate of candidates. "Al gets lots of volunteers like me," Agnate said.

He added that Vellucci is known by almost everyone in East Cambridge. "He sends out over 2000 Christmas cards to the elderly each year," Agnate said.

As the four-man band tuned up, Jean Depasquale cavorted from table to table to greet old friends.

"Louis, how are you?" she said above a blaring saxophone. "Won't Al be thrilled at the turnout? Isn't this just the greatest?"

The band broke into a brisk "Somewhere My Love" that lured several middle-aged couples onto the dance floor.

"I'll tell you why Al's such a fantastic guy," Depasquale said. "When I was working with the Cambridge elementary schools in '66, I saw Vellucci take the kids out of condemned buildings and put them in safe schools."

"Vellucci has actually taken addicts by hand to the hospital," she said, gesturing as if to grab the tablecloth. "He's straightened out some of the marital problems of our Vietnam vets and helped them find jobs."

Mrs. Depasquale rose from the table to leave and added, "Al is a human. He feels for all of the little people. All of them."

The bass guitarist began a low pulsing rhythm as the lead singer put his accordian down and stepped up to the mike.

"Spent a long time in the city,

Working for the man every night and day.

But I never lost one minute of sleeping worrying 'bout the way things might have been..."

A buxom, energetic, middle-aged woman in a sleek lavendar gown with a Vellucci streamer pinned across her front did a bouncy boogaloo past the bandstand. "Want to know my name? I'm Mary Castriatta, chairman of the Cambridge Housing Authority," she said.

She wiggled through the number and then sat at a nearly table for a breather. "I've always been attracted to Al," she said. "He knows what he's doing about housing and the poor."

"There's no space in Cambridge and lots of high rents," Castriatta said. "Harvard could help with more housing for the people; Al's always wanted Harvard to do its share."

"Personally, I'd like to see better communication between the school and the residents," she said.

Nursing a glass of beer, spectacled Pasquale L. Reale, director of Cambridge's Veteran Services Office sat by the entrance of the crowded room waiting for Vellucci, who was busy at a City Council meeting.

Reale, who said he has been Vellucci's close friend for 25 years, called him "a politician with a real heart."

"Did you know all those parties he throws for the elderly, all those picnics and Christmas baskets he gives the people at Roosevelt Towers and all the big social gatherings come from his own pocket?" Reale said.

"The man's wife and family pitch in," he added. "And he gets help from friends. It's a group effort and the cause is good." Castriatta came over by Reale and said, "Al is like a godfather to me. He really takes care of the people in Cambridge."

The band hit the final chords to "For the Good Times" and won the applause of Vellucci's "little people" who were now finishing their pizzas, cakes and sausages and waiting for the arrival of the councilman.

Vellucci stepped into the room at 9:20 p.m. with a confident smile and shook Reale's hand vigorously. "Meeting go okay?" Reale asked. "Beautiful," Vellucci said.

The crowd turned to see Vellucci walk forward to the stage. The band played "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Reale, who stepped closely with Vellucci, went to the mike. "Here he is...the man who's number one on the Independent slate...Al Vellucci!"

Vellucci took the mike, waited for the cheers of standing supporters to subside and said, "I'm very, very pleased to see everyone. The turnout is great. It looks like victory for Al Vellucci and the Independent slate."

"The Harvard Crimson, the Cambridge Chronicle and other underground papers in this area have reported that there's not much interest in the election," he said. "But you and I know that it's been nothing but wall-to-wall people at all the Independent rallies."

The crowd whistled and cheered again. "The papers say we're not taking any stands," Vellucci said, quickening the pace of his speech.

"Well, let me tell you we believe in better housing; we believe in helping the young and old; we believe in recreation; we believe in the people!" he said.

A girl in her 20s clapped excitedly. "He's the one. He's the one I'm voting for. He's a real human being," she said.