Sugar House (9780991192519) (20 page)

Dr. Levy pointed at homes on the block as the
Model T rumbled down the street. "Cash Talbot's house is over here.
He owns Talbot Coal Company, and by the looks of his house the
rising price of coal hasn't affected his pocketbook the way it has
mine. There's a shortage now because of the war. There's a shortage
on many things now—wheat, fuel, sugar—and the government has
informally decreed 'less' days"

"What are 'less' days? Have they shortened
the week?" asked Joe.

"No son," the physician chuckled, "I meant
days of the week where one goes without, like meatless Mondays or
wheatless Wednesdays. This week Uncle Sam advised all Americans to
have porkless Saturdays; of course all my days are
already
porkless." He smiled. "You'll see. The Great War hasn't affected
the Children's Hospital yet, but I should think the time will come
soon. You should see the ladies' section of the
Detroit
News
, abounding with recipes to help the women cope with
shortages."

Joe was aware the United States had joined
the war in the spring, but not much information had been passed
onto the children at the hospital. The medical staff felt if the
children had knowledge of their families' daily adversities and
struggles or were continually apprised of the tragedies occurring
in Europe, the young boys' health would be further impeded.
However, none of the nurses caring for his ward had been Polish,
and they had not thought to confiscate the Polish newspaper his
father brought him every week. So Joe gained quite a bit of
knowledge regarding the war. Being a child, he hadn't perused the
articles regarding shortages and make-do recipes in much detail,
his interests lying in U-boats and the aeronautical adventures of
the pilots flying SJ-1s and DH.4s.

"Does Henry Ford's son, Edsel, live on this
street too?" asked Joe.

"No, he has an estate north of here near
Belle Isle, in a neighborhood called Indian Village. Edsel just
bought a home there this year and that brewer… hmm… ah, Goebel; he
lives over there too. I wonder what
he'll
do if the
temperance movement passes into law. And Goebel's competitor, Mr.
Stroh, lives north of the city in an enormous mansion on Lake St.
Claire. But enough of these rich brewers and capitalists for today.
If one spends too much time touring areas like this, he can find
himself feeling as if everyone is more affluent than he. It's time
we headed home, but I have one more house to show you before we do.
It was actually the reason I drove you here."

Turning back on Second Street they drove in
companionable silence, and Joe thought about all the wealth he'd
seen. He decided at that moment that he wouldn't live a life eking
out a living in a hot factory like his father. He was proud of
Ojciec, but Joe wanted what these men had: fancy new cars, clothes,
servants, and power. He just wasn't sure how he was going to get
it.

"I can tell you're thinking of your future,
Joe." Dr. Levy interrupted his thoughts. "Be careful what you wish
for, Joe; great wealth provides luxury and power, but it can also
lead to great anguish."

Before Joe could ask how a man with enough
money to build a castle to live in could be unhappy, the physician
pulled over to a small house on the corner of Atkinson Street.
"Here it is, Joe. Eight hundred Atkinson Street." Joe looked at the
brick home perched on the corner. This was the smallest of all the
homes they'd driven by that morning. Its small yard was prettily
landscaped, but there were no discerning characteristics appearing
on its fascia that could explain why the physician was peering at
the front of the house and then back down at Joe with such
excitement in his eyes. Joe looked at the house again and
questioningly back at Dr. Levy.

"This, Joe, is the home of the prodigious
Georgia Peach, Ty Cobb!" the doctor exclaimed. "A friend of mine
told me his house was in this neighborhood, and I thought you would
like see where your great hero lives."

"Wow! Ty Cobb's house!" Joe searched for a
sign of the baseball phenomenon in the front windows of the modest
house. The drapes were drawn and the home appeared to be empty. "I
wish he'd walk out the door so I could see him."

"I don't think he is there, Joe. Mr. Cobb
goes back home to Georgia in the winter."

"Oh right… that would make sense. But thanks
for showing me just the same, Dr. Levy." Joe looked over again at
the simple brick home and smiled. "Wow!" he repeated softly. "Ty
Cobb's house."

"Well, we should be getting you home. Your
parents will be waiting, and you have to meet your little brother,
right?"

The birth of Joe's new brother, Stephan, had
coincided with President Wilson's announcement that the United
States was declaring war. That had been over ten months ago, and
Joe was anxious to see the new addition to the Jopolowski family.
On the drive to his Polish neighborhood, Joe noted many brand new
buildings, businesses, and homes. He was surprised how much the
landscape had changed in his absence. New skyscrapers peppered the
skyline as they drove back into the bustling metropolis. The city
felt like it was bursting with structures and humans. People of
every color, in every sort of dress, walked, rode, peddled,
meandered, and sashayed down the streets and sidewalks. Sometimes
it felt as if Dr. Levy's car was idling more than it was moving
forward due to the traffic, but eventually they arrived in Polonia
and turned onto Joe's street.

Joe immediately noticed how meager his
surroundings were compared to the Boston-Edison District. Dogs and
chickens wandered down the street in search of scraps. Children,
some without coats, ran across the roadway without bothering to
look for approaching cars or carriages. Laundry hung from the front
porches of homes, and the smell of cabbage wafted into the car. But
Joe didn't care. He was home. He had recovered and he was home. And
on one of the porches a red and white Polish flag flew next to the
red, white, and blue of his adopted country and made him feel he
was where he belonged.

"Joe, my Joe!" his mother yelled, running
down the front steps of their home as the car pulled up to the
curb. Matka opened the door herself and pulled Joe out of the car
and into her arms, squeezing him so hard he thought she was going
to damage his healthy lung.

"Matka, put me down… the neighbors," Joe
said, looking at the children from the block who had gathered to
watch the homecoming scene. Matka set Joe back on his feet and
grabbed his small suitcase from the hands of Dr. Levy.

"Dr. Levy, please, won't you come inside?"
she asked.

"I can't today, Mrs. Jopolowski. I must
return to my office; I have patients waiting. But thank you."

"Then please wait a minute, doctor." She ran
up the stairs into the house. Joe watched his mother bound up the
stairs like a young girl and then suddenly realized something.

"My mother was speaking English to you—good
English! She learned English while I was gone?" Joe asked the
physician.

"Your father had to take those English
classes Mr. Ford is requiring of his workers, and your mother
decided she would have him teach her while he was learning. She
sure is a quick learner. Don't tell your father, but I think she is
sounding better than he is." Dr. Levy laughed.

Joe's mother returned to the side of the
Model T carrying a dish covered with a clean cloth. "I made cheese
pierogi for Joe's homecoming, Dr. Levy. No meat for Uncle Sam and
no pork for my son's Jewish savior doctor. Tell your wife to warm
them up in butter in the skillet for five minutes and eat them with
sour cream."

"Please Mrs. Jopolowki, there is no need to
give me anything more. You have fattened me up enough for the last
year. My wife has had to let out my pants two times."

"You were too skinny before. Now take this
food and let me thank you again for saving my Joe."

Knowing better than to argue with a Polish
woman pushing food, the physician took the plate and placed it on
the front seat of the car. "Well, goodbye Joe. Come and see me in a
month so I can check on your progress."

Blanca put her arm around Joe's shoulders,
and they headed into the house as the Model T drove down the
street. The smell of onions and sounds of laughter greeted Joe as
she opened the front door.

"Welcome home, Joe!" cried Aunt Hattie as she
rushed over and pulled his small frame into her soft plump one. As
she released him, Ojciec grabbed him up and gave him a bear hug.
Uncle Alexy and Uncle Feliks patted him on the back, saying how
happy they were that he'd recovered and was finally home. Emilia,
who looked like she had grown a foot, shyly handed him a stick
figure drawing she'd made of a boy playing baseball on a grassy
field.

"Thank you, Emilia. It looks just like me,"
Joe said. Emilia smiled proudly. Turning to his mother, Joe asked,
"Where are my brothers?"

"Marya and Pauline are watching them next
door. We had them get out from under foot so we could cook you a
welcome home feast. Emilia, go get your sisters and cousins," she
said, reverting to her native Polish. "Joe wants to meet his baby
brother."

A beautiful Christmas crèche carved by
Blanca's father sat on the mantle. It was one of the few things
Matka had been able to bring with her from Jastarnia. Joe walked
over to the nativity scene and stared at the charming figures. The
manger was empty to signify that the Christ child had not arrived
yet, and the other small wooden statues stood in their places,
waiting patiently. Mary was sitting on a bed of straw, and Joseph
stood at attention near her. A donkey, ox, and camel were
positioned next to the three magi kneeling in front of the empty
manger. Two young shepherds toting staffs guarded several
sheep.

Joe picked up the intricately carved Mary
figure and looked into her face. He thanked her silently for her
role in Jesus' birth and any help she might have had in his
recovery. Boisterous voices interrupted his prayer as his cousins
and brothers swept into the room in a chaotic flurry. He placed the
saint back on the mantel before Frank tackled him with a hug. Frank
had grown. and in his loving fervor he knocked Joe to the
floor.

"Frank! Be careful. Joe, are you all right?"
Matka looked worried.

"Yes, I'm fine. I see that I have a lot of
eating to do to get as strong as Frank." Matka ran her hands over
his arms and back; satisfied Joe was unharmed, she took the baby
out of Marya's arms and presented him to Joe.

"Here is your baby brother, Stephan," she
said. Stephan was much bigger than Joe had anticipated, but he had
to remind himself that his brother was close to ten months old.
Stephan wiggled in Joe's arms and tried to get down. "Oh, put him
down Joe. All he wants to do is crawl all over the house and grab
onto the furniture to stand up. He's trying to walk so he can keep
up with Frank."

Joe put his brother down on the wood floor
and said hello to Marya and Pauline. "I'm glad you're better, Joe,"
his eldest cousin ventured.

"Thanks, Marya. And thanks for lighting the
candles at church for me" he replied.

"Well, I had to help your mother and mine
after Stephan was born, so I needed you to get better. I was tired
of having to do your chores
and
mine. Glad you're home
now."

"I knew there had to be something in it for
you, Marya." He winked at her and smiled.

"I'm glad you're home too, Joe," said
Pauline. "Nothing was the same without you around." Pauline had
grown taller than Joe in his time away, but Marya had experienced
the most drastic change. Her face was thinner, and she wore her
blonde hair up, like his mother did. Her figure had developed into
one of a young woman, and she carried herself differently. Joe felt
awkward at noticing his cousin's new shape. He turned away to ask
his mother if he could help with dinner.

"No Joe. Sit down and rest, and we'll finish
getting dinner ready. I can't wait to feed you some of my cooking.
I am going to fatten you up and get you strong as an ox. If they'd
let me send you real food at that hospital instead of just sugary
sweets, you'd have been home six months ago." Her eyes teared up
and she wiped them with her apron.

"Come on, Blanca… he's home now," his Aunt
Hattie said, grabbing her elbow and steering her toward the
kitchen. "Let's get this feast finished so we can eat." Marya and
Pauline dutifully followed the women into the kitchen, and the men
sat down in the living room and watched Stephan as he tried to
balance on his chubby legs. Joe looked around the small living room
and smiled. A log crackled and popped in the fireplace as the men
lounged on the meager furniture discussing the factory and the war.
He could hardly believe he was finally home.

Aunt Hattie and Matka had prepared stuffed
roast mutton, pierogi, mushroom cutlets, ćwikła (a beet root salad
made with horseradish), and a chocolate cake with marzipan spread
between the layers. And of course, his mother had made dozens of
sugary cookies, which were piled high on a round platter. The women
had been cooking for several days, and the spread was extensive.
Joe felt humbled they had prepared so much food in honor of his
homecoming. After a prayer of thanks by Ojciec, the family heartily
dug in. The mood was fun and playful and the evening passed
quickly. Joe fell asleep in the chair next to the fireplace, and
his father carried him up to his bed. He didn't notice till the
next morning that an additional bed had been placed in the room for
Frank. Getting ill had one advantage; a good night's sleep without
Franks' knees in his back.

Later in the week, on the eve of Saint Nicholas
feast, the boys put their shoes outside of their rooms for Saint
Nicholas to fill. Frank woke early and ran out of their room into
the hall.