He has the Senior Center on a string

Tom Connor is a popular volunteer at his hometown’s Costa Mesa Senior

Center, but most people he talks to don’t know his real name.

That’s because he only goes by “Yo-yo,” one of those classic

nicknames that’s just crying out to have a compelling story behind

it.

“Not really,” Connor said. “The way I usually describe it is that

a woman had me on a string my entire life. I gave it to myself.”

Senior Center Director Aviva Goelman said she appreciates Connor’s

humor as much as most of the center’s patrons.

“Everybody loves him because he usually wears a big, funny-looking

earring in one ear,” she said. “It looks like a woman’s earring.”

The Daily Pilot’s Jeff Benson sat down with a modest “Yo-yo” to

talk about his humorous side and his volunteerism.

People I’ve talked to say you’re hilarious. What do you think?

I try to be my normal self. I don’t try to make people laugh. They

laugh at me. I just like to have a funny outlook. Life’s too short

not to laugh at a joke.

Here’s one: “Ask a woman whether she puts lipstick and rouge on

her forehead. When she says she doesn’t, you say, ‘Then how do you

make up your mind?’

Did your wife have anything to do with that one, and with calling

you “Yo-yo”?

She did, sort of. I made the nickname up myself four or five years

ago, and she died six years ago. She was a great person because of

her personality. We both made each other laugh and joke and have fun.

I’ve been coming here about four or five years, and I’m constantly

reminded of her.

What do you do as a volunteer at the Senior Center?

I take things out of dry storage and get them ready for home

delivery. We take things out in the morning, so the truck can take

them away. Everything that comes in today goes into dry storage, so

it could be picked up and taken into the kitchen.

I also make sure the paperwork’s ready for people, so they can

sign in for lunch. After we get the tables up, I count the plates for

the meals and put out the plates and silverware. Usually we have

somewhere between 55 and 70 people eating lunch.

What’s your favorite meal here?

They’re all pretty good. I couldn’t pick one as the best. It

wouldn’t be fair.

What kinds of things do you talk about with the other volunteers?

(Speaks with a garbled Irish accent) I ask, ‘Why don’t you

understand what I’m talking about. Don’t you understand Irish?’

Are you Irish?

Oh yes. That’s why I talk that way. I don’t want anyone else to

understand. Just me.

Does that mean you were born in Ireland?

No. I was born in Philadelphia and moved to New Jersey when I was

really young, in ’38. Then I moved to San Francisco in 1943 and to

Southern California in 1944. I’ve lived in Costa Mesa since about

1970.

My family was on the move quite a bit. But it was no problem at

all. My mom and dad just said we were moving or whatever, and I

listened to them.

Why did you decide to volunteer at the center?

There used to be somebody who worked here by the name of Rick. I

asked if I could help him one day, and he said it was fine. Then he

had to do something else, and I took over.

I think it’s a great place for seniors to come to, to make

acquaintances and to have a good lunch.