How To Sell A House, Italian Style

So, I came across this post the other day, and it reminded me of something that happened the spring after we bought our current house.  (We bought it in late fall, almost nine years ago.)

I was out back working in the garden, and accidentally dug up what appeared to be a religious figurine wrapped in a ziploc bag.  To make it stranger, it was buried head down.  I had no idea who it was or why the hell it was buried in my yard.  Despite being raised Catholic, I had never heard of this whole bury-St-Joseph-in-the-back-yard-when-you-want-to-sell-your-house thing.  I happened to mention it to my mother on the phone later that day, and she explained.  Apparently it is an Italian thing, like bathtub Marys.  Seems horribly disrespectful.  And I gather that the sellers are supposed to collect it once the house sells, but clearly that didn't happen, so I am stuck with one slightly used St. Joseph figurine, if anyone wants it.  I will not be tempting fate by throwing it away.  That is probably even more disrespectful!

We bought the house from an Italian couple, who were very kind to us, but (based on a rant directed at their movers that I inadvertently overheard the day they were moving out and we were moving in) most likely 'connected.'  That was an interesting day.  Our running joke for years has been that they probably buried Jimmy Hoffa in our backyard, too.  Even though he probably wouldn't help to sell the house nearly as much as St. Joseph.