War Torn Love

by Londo, Jay M.

  My little niece was jumping up and down by this time! Giving away her location, Tugging away on her Momma’s dress, “Oh Momma please could we, please, please, please?

  My sister began smiling, “Well how could we refuse such a wonderful offer as that, ok sweetheart we may go, give us a second to get prepared, ok Sis!”

  “Sure!”

  The men were all surprised when we showed up, “Well Hi Hana -hi Marym what are you girls all doing here?”

  “Well we thought perchance you handsome hard working men just might like the lunch I worked all morning on and I made for you! Hey, what do you say you all stop working now, and we all had a picnic under the walnut tree? Out of the sun. Then after lunch, Abram you could show us the house, all right sweetie? I want to see all the hard work you guys had done. Oh and your nieces would like to feed the animals! Do you think we could arrange that?”

  “Sure hey guys, my wife brought us lunch today, why don’t you come on down. Let’s all eat.”

  They all smiled hearing this.

  “Abram why don’t you help me set up under the walnut tree.”

  The men came over to us - Abram made the introductions, “Hana, Marym I would like to introduce you both to Mr. Landau.”

  “Nice to meet you Mr. Landau, I am Hana – Abram’s wife. And this is my lovely sister.”

  “Please just call me Joseph.”

  “So if you don’t mine me asking, you Joseph where exactly are you from? Your accent sounds like it has some German in it.”

  He paused, looking at me, “Well your right, I was born in Dresden, Germany. But trust me when I say, Germany is no longer a place for a Jew to be living these days! Every since the Nazis came into power, things had gone from bad to even worse. That Hitler is pure evil!”

  “Yes it’s a real disgrace - so Joseph how long had you been in our lovely town?”

  “Well I think it’s going about three months. I am boarding a small room, picking up odd jobs here and there. I had to say that I really love it here I find the people here had a far cry friendlier than I was having to endure from any one that was a non-Jew in Dresden. The people here had been showing me so much kindness, making me feel so welcome. And you had a much larger concentration of Jews then where I use to live.”

  I politely smiled back, and asked Joseph. “Are you married?

  “No, I was engaged once but she took ill! Sadly, she passed away about a year ago.”

  “I am sorry for prying - and I am very sorry to hear that” As I was saying this, I wondered whom I could possibly set him up with, at the same time trying to change the subject. I had not expected his sad answer; I could see the pain in his face as he had answered me. “So Joseph, You had mentioned the amount of Jews here. Many of them you know migrated here from Russia, after the 1917 Russian revolution. My own parents came here from Russia they had both lived just out of Smolensk were my family is originally from. My own parents were married there.”

  My husband’s powerful hands he reached out for his young daughter, after she heard his voice from her stroller. “Let me see my little girl!” soon as she heard her Daddy voice, she began cooing. She was definitely a Daddy’s little girl. I swear he spoils that girl with attention, and she seemed to gobble it up. I was happy to know my own daughter was going to had the similar opportunity as me what I mean to say, we will both had fathers that adore their little girls. I had the best father myself; I just want her to experience the same.

  After lunch, Abram led us up to the house. He was so excited to be giving us the grand tour. The shell of the house was now finished. Before entering, I just stood there a minute in silence, taking it all in, taking a mental picture. I had to say, the house was even prettier than I had imagined it would be. I just could not believe that this was my house. He had been doing a fantastic job. I am picking out all the colors. That is one area my husband is horrible at. We painted the house in a tan color, and I loved how the covered porch had turned out. He had even built me a lovely swing bench, built for two, and maybe room for a small girl.

  All that was left to still do on the inside of the house was all the trim work, cabinets, fixtures, and flooring. Mr. Cinak and Joseph are both working diligently on the interior.

  After touring the house, I took my nieces over to the barn to feed the animals, the girls absolutely loved it - I took them inside the pens to let them actually pet the animals, and showed them how to pet the animals, and how to feed them. Marym and I ran in to an unforeseen problem when we ran into a crisis with my oldest niece - see she seemed quickly to choose one, and wanted to keep one of the farm animals in particular. “Mommy could I take him home with me, he is so funny, he could be my pet, he could sleep in my bed with me!” Of course, she was talking about a calf - you could see the problem with this.

  My sister and I had to fight back the laughter. I was biting my lip trying to stop myself, because she was being serious, but Marym thinking on her feet, bent down to look at her. At her eye-level she said seriously, “No my child, if we were to take this very friendly, and yes funny calf - oh my he likes licking - home with us today, then I think he would probably end up missing his own mommy. His mommy would be so miserable. But hey! I had a wonderful idea, I bet Auntie Hana would let you come and feed him, and visit with him anytime, what do you say to that? Should we let him stay with his mommy?”

  She was so precious, if was fun watching a six year old trying to reason through it, it took her a second to understand in a way her little mind could comprehend. Then she smiled. “Mommy look he is licking my hand, he is so funny.” Then with the attention span of a six year old, she turned to her mommy once more, “Ok, mommy, could we go swimming now?” And like that a huge predicament, was over and done become ancient history like in the time span of a shooting stars.

  “Sure sweeties why not, what do you say Hana!”

  I just looked at my sister, in awe! For a second I would have sworn I had just witnessed our own Momma. I realized how excellent of a mother she was; I just hoped that I could – be as good! I could not believe what I was witnessed - she really thought convincingly on her feet, enough so that a six year old bought it hook line and sinker.

  While Abram and I were in bed that night, I approached Abram on my idea, “Sweetie I had thought of this afternoon, after visiting the farm it had come to me. “That story Joseph, and Mr. Cinak told us, and then all the others we had heard of late. It got me thinking,”

  He put his hand over his eyes, “Oh boy should I ask - I know how you get when you get an idea Hana?”

  “Hey buster, just hear me out! Here we are doing so much, and we had a lot to be grateful for would not you say?”

  “Yes of course!” He looked at me with suspicious eyes, “so what are you getting at?”

  “I feel a little in the wrong. I am thinking that it had now become our responsibility to endeavor to help even more of our people; you know there is more of them out there. We had the means to do so, how could we possibly be happy with our new lives on the farm together. Abram if you think I need a bunch of new things to make me happy or to love you, the answer is no there is other ways to be rich. You had already done so much for me, I am so thankful I could not possibly express in words, I am happy, because I had you my handsome husband, and Abiela that we created. With the blessing of our God.” I paused as he sat up and looked at me.”

  “That being said, I could not possibly be happy if I knew there were those of us in the Jewish community that is suffering all around me. There is a dark force that is looming – I think it is up to you and me to combat it. I see it every time I go to town – refugees walking the streets, in broken down wagons with all their worldly possessions.” I paused again, twisting some of the blanket in my hands.

  “I was thinking since the house is built, the crops are in, we had a little put away what do you say with some of your upcoming prize money - we could use it in serving our God by serving others that need it. One thing we could do, now that we hav
e practically doubled the size of the crops we planted over last year’s crops. I believe God has blessed us with a profit, - I think we could easily donate a portion of it to help-out. I was thinking that we could also let families that had nowhere else to reside, to stay on the farm, at on a least temporarily basis. And if we were to do this, I bet I could encourage others to join in.”

  I ended with what I was trying to say, because I did not want to over sell it - I hoped he could understand my reasoning and was wondering how he was going to responded. I thought I knew him well enough to know he too would want to help. There was an awkward silence as neither of us uttered anything before he finally responded.

  “Hana I have to say - you know you really are such a charitable person who possesses a very strong soul- you are one of the most unselfish person I have ever encountered. You are always giving food, or more, or just lending your time, when you see a need, even when no one had asked, you just seem to know someone could use a hand. A trait I certainly have come to love and truly adore about you, you certainly have-helped keep me grounded. I truly think God is now guiding you. So how could I possibly say no? I say we pray, and then sleep on it. Then we shall do just that, whatever you need, we try to obtain it, I want to help in any way I can. I am sure if we put our minds to it. Hana with God’s help, we could come up with many ways to help.”

  There were obvious signs of dark clouds on the horizon. You could see it in everyone’s. It broke my heart seeing this. We had been seeing more Jews showing up in the area all the time; we had to help out each other as a people, especially when there is so much hatred out there directed at a person simply because they’re Jewish. The Jews in Germany and other countries now ruled Nazis were being blamed for the wrongs of the economy.

  At Sabbath I made sure to let everyone in the family know we our holding a family meeting tomorrow- at our farm! We had to inform the family and get them on board with us, and if so, as a family discuss what direction should we take on this to be the most effective. These poor people needed our assistance; it could as easily had been us in that situation.

  I took my husband’s advice and we invited all the family, and extended family - aunt’s uncle cousins and their families over to our farm for a potluck. We also invited and involved the two families that had started this all for us, and that were currently living with us - the more we could get involved, the more likelihood we had at actually being able to help-out other families in need. Just seeing how much improved these two, families were, and how much better their all doing since first coming to us gave me hope that we could do more for others. They were getting their lives back together seeing that made it all worth it. I always lived by the motto, “it is better to give, than to receive.”

  It was a lovely day out for having our potluck and I wanted this to be a fun get-together. I had pre-told everyone to plan to cool off in the pond – that there was dancing and drinking. After everyone had eaten, I had all the adults gathered up - the kids went and played, there was plenty for them to do on a farm.

  I was nervous, Abram came up on me behind me and rubbed my shoulder - he was playing dirty, then he whispered in my ears, “Come on go up there. Explain your proposal just like you explained it to me, you are a good leader - people respect you! Had faith in yourself and them.”

  “Ok! Hi everyone could I had all your attention. I thank you all for coming today; it is truly good to see each and everyone here.” That is when I think I shocked my whole family, including my own husband, when I caught them off guard. “So everyone, Abram and I want to give back, we had been blessed with so much as of late. We are going to donate a portion of our crops this year to help in feeding some families that would need it more than us. I speak of the Jewish immigrants that have been showing up of late. I would think that our God would not want us to just sit back and do absolutely nothing.”

  I turned to face Abram for strength - I needed them all to take me seriously and they would not unless Abram was at my side - because in the men’s eye’s, it was not a women’s place, “Honey, first let me say how proud I am of you. You had been working so hard, been able to accomplish so much in your young life, might I say soon to be the next boxing champion of all of Europe! Come on everyone let us hear it for my amazing husband!” Everyone began clapping, and yelling, “That’s our boy, make us all proud! He will not even see him coming! He probably will not make it to the third round!” There may be a lot of truth to that, because no boxer had survived my husband in the ring past the fourth round.

  “Ok so what I am saying, each of everyone of us standing here - either we go all in and help out our own people, and make sacrifices as our God would command of us, expect of us to do. Alternatively, we selfishly just sit back and do absolutely nothing as our own people continue to suffer at the hands of others. What happens if this continues to spread?” I purposely threw in the word “selfishly,” To grab at their attention, tug at their hearts, and their commitment to God.

  “These people had lost nearly everything but their faith to God and through no fault of their own, are being bullied. And I would imagine even their faith is being tested imagine they’re losing their self-respect. Imagine losing everything you had ever worked for even your citizenship.” I paused meeting everyone’s eyes, “Now please, be honest with yourselves, what if it was one of you, or even all of us - it easily could had been. We are very fortunate to have what we have - we all may not be rich, maybe far from it in materialistic value. I would say that we’re all are rich in so many ways, would not you all agree? We have so much more than these people do. They have the clothes on their backs. If we all sacrifice a little, we could endow them with clothing if they need it – though of course everything within reason. We had some food to offer up when the time comes. However, one more significant thing we should take into consideration is shelter a place for these individuals and families to stay. The summer months aren’t as much as a concern, but winter will come, they would all freeze to death. I was thinking that we could take in a family or two when we move into our home here in just a couple of weeks. Maybe fix a nice spot up in the barn - Momma and Poppa maybe you could take in a second family when we move out - they could use my room? And I am sure that if other family members here were, to do the same thing, it would go a long way in helping out at least a few of our people. I know we cannot help everyone that needed assistances, but we should find solace in what we could accomplish.” There was a hushed silence as everyone thought and I continued.

  “I know I would be able to sleep a bit better, knowing I can help or are helping. Abram has - another bout coming up. He and I talked it over, so we thought perhaps we would set aside as much of the purse money as possible, to help support this idea. So what do you all think? Are you all in, or out? We understand if you’re not able to help out, or if you do help and cannot afford to do as much, any little bit could go a long ways at helping out. But if you can’t… well, no one would hold it against you. Would you please now raise your hand if you’re in?” I nervously looked around the room - unbelievably every one of the adults hands raised up high in the air. There was a calm silence as we all looked around at one another. Many smiles to sparkled and shared around the room, moving in waves. It brought tears to my eyes.

  Abram left the crowd a moment went over to the barn. He returned a few moments later with a handful of bottles of his whole-made vodka. We passed the bottle around and tossed the shots back to celebrate.

  Poppa then said merrily, “Attention everyone, I would like to say that what my daughter, and son-in-law are proposing - it makes sense, it truly is a wonderful thing. I think our God would want us to help our brother and sisters. So I say now that we’re all together, I say we all drink, dance sing and celebrate. I just want to thank our host!” Everyone began then clapping. The party went on well into the night, and many foundations began falling under plans between families – the bonds formed then were what we built on.

  A couple of days later, a
fter the party, Abram and his father were planning to depart for his next big fight, his biggest so far in his illustrious boxing career. “Sweetie I wanted to wish you the best of luck on the fight. Honey what do you say before you leave, we should go up to the bedroom,” I winked and smiled trying to give him a clue that I was highly aroused, I desired him to take me, “it’s been so long, I am ready! Aren’t you? If you’re worried about hurting me - please don’t, the doctor said it would be fine!”

  “Hana I want you more than you know! However, unfortunately for the both of us, sadly, your timing is not so good. This is not the time. Coach say’s I cannot have any sex before the fight, he said it throws boxers off their game.”

  “Wow, are you kidding me?” I did not think I would ever hear those words coming from my husband’s lips. “You always want to had sex with me, sometime even when I am asleep, and it really had been so, so long, I know how tough it had been on you, on us! I understand though - I promise you that very night you return you can have your way with me, ravish me anyway you want. I will get Momma to babysit for the whole night, and we will make an evening of it. How’s that sound to you?”