Crying Over Boys

• Lori Palminteri
• Uncategorized
• August 6, 2025

While some would label me an ice queen, colder than the iceberg that sunk Titanic, there are the guys I’ve shed tears for ranging from a few drops to days of waterfalls pouring out of my face leading to eyes so puffy, I somewhat resembled a frog. On the other end, there are alpha men I reduced to boys who cried in bosom at notion of our time together coming to an end.

But this is not a sad story of love lost. Rather the irrevocable bond between a darling four boy, Blaise, and me, one of his biggest fans, friend, and adoring Aunt. After a weekend spent at my brother’s place, taking Blaise on boat adventures clamming on the bay and trips to Fire Island, packed with water games, snacks, and even a cozy nap on my lap on the boat ride home, when it was time for us to part, big tears filled in his blue green eyes— “but I want you to stay with me!” Clinging to my leg, “don’t leave me, just come live with me.”

(Captain Mitch & First Mate Blaise)

His cuteness is unparalleled and I’m a sucker for his requests to stay a little longer and play trains (he is obsessed with trains). I can hardly resist perpetually hugging and kissing him, up to the point where I asked him, “does it annoy you how much I kiss you!” To which he replied, “yeah, it annoys me,” and then he laughed, “I’m just kidding, I like it.” When I sleep over my brother’s, in his “boss voice” he tells his dad that he is snuggling with me, and sends Mitch to his room alone (haha), and then quickly reduces to a mush cuddling next to me like a little fox.

(Snuggle time!)

My sister’s son used to cry when I left him too. He’s ten now, however, and has grown out of such sentiment. Though, my niece (7) is often still quick to tears and if I’m over their house for a sleepover, she grills me on why I can’t sleep over more nights. Anthony and Charlotte also have a history of trying to hold me hostage, questioning why I couldn’t just live with them. It’s a good gig, being Aunt Lori. And though I’ve done gigs across the country, sometimes in theaters for a thousand people, these three kids are my favorite audience and I’m always thinking about them and missing them.

(Cousins, Anthony & Blaise)

These days, I often think about leaving New York since it seems there’s less and less for me career wise and there are many days I think it’s time for me to just move on to something else. Yet the thought at missing out on their precious and short childhood shreds my heart harder than my brother shredding a seven foot hurricane swell (that kid is an annoyingly gifted surfer).

(We love to be silly!)

When loading Blaise into his mother’s car, his arms reach out, “I want Aunt Lori,” not hysterically crying, but a steady stream of tears rolling down his perfect face, a lump forms in my throat and I feel it’s my responsibility to be strong as the adult in the situation but it’s so easy for this sometimes ice queen to melted into a puddle. One more big hug, and kisses on both of his cheeks as I promise I’ll see him soon. “I promise, Blaisey, I love you so much.”

(Blaise bear hugging his cousin Charlotte and Me)

Only in the privacy of my car do I allow to myself to breakdown and cry some. These tears are more happy than sad, however. I think about how when my Uncle Kenny and cousins Briana and Ed used to visit every summer and stay at our house. And I used to do the same thing to them, begging them to stay all summer. When they drove away, my siblings and I would chase after their car down the block, extending the moment. Furthermore, I do so dearly miss my godfather, Uncle Dennis, who recently passed.

Blaise loves swimming, trains, the Disney movie “Atlantis,” saying the word “butt” and laughing hysterically (despite his mom and dad telling him not to say it), eating snacks, music, and giving me a standing ovation when I show up. His memory is unbelievable, so there’s no making false promises to the kid, because he’ll call you out. Smart, sweet and such kissable cheeks, to be one of Blaise’s favorite people is such a treat. He is and always will be one of my favorite people on this planet, and that’s worth happy tears, crying over a little, beautiful boy.