need shoes, too. You look like you need lots of things. How 'bout you, little Kay? You're the one who's always thinking. Never say anything, do you, kid? You know better."
And he knelt down in front of me. "You just keep your eyes and ears open, don't you? But you're always learning."
I was afraid to say anything. He liked me. All my father's family did. They all acted as if I was special to them. The feeling made me uncomfortable. And I try my best to be invisible when they come to visit. Because Amazing Grace will take it out on me later if they fuss over me too much.
"Here," and Uncle Hermie thrust some coupons into my hand. And into the hands of Martin, Tom, and Elizabeth. "Use them, kids. Don't believe that crap about winning the war effort by going without sugar, shoes, or meat. Kids have a right to such things. Kids have a right to their childhood."
All four of us took them, thanked him,
and hugged him. Then Fanny, who'd been standing in the background watching all this, came up to him and put her arm on his shoulder.
"Chicago, Hermie," she said.
He nodded.
"Good-bye, kids." Fanny winked at us and got into the shiny black Buick.
"Good-bye, John," he said to my father.
But my father didn't answer.
Uncle Hermie got into the car. "I'll be back, kids. I'm taking the boys to the Dodgers game Easter week. Be ready."
We stood watching them drive away. My father said nothing. Uncle Hermie, the man-about-town whose identity was so secret even the United States government didn't know he existed, would be back. And he would take my brothers to the Brooklyn Dodgers game. He did once every year.
"Can we keep the coupons, Daddy?" Tom asked.
"Sure." My father shrugged.
Later I asked Martin where he thought the coupons had come from.
"Black market," he said.
"You mean he isn't working for the war effort?"
"He's working for himself," Martin said.
I didn't care Nobody spoke about the matter again. Mary acted like Mrs. Miniver for a week, but Tom and Martin chipped in from their allowance and bought me some sugar.
All thai spring, ever)' time I ate breakfast or had a cup of tea, I thanked Uncle Hermie for the coupons. I couldn't have gotten my new supply of sugar without them.
Later Martin told me what the black market was. People get the things they want, even though the war is on Because dishonest men and crooked politicians make them pay higher prices for things they want. Or print counterfeit coupons and sell them to the people.
How Uncle Hermie came into all this, I didn't know. I didn't want to know. I loved him. He smelled of olives, was nice to us, and said kids should have a childhood.
And inside me I decided that he must be working for the war effort. He was probably with the FBI. And his job was so important that not even his superiors knew his identity.
I decided that this business with the coupons and the black market was just to keep
that identity a secret. As for Fanny, well, she was his faithful sidekick. Like Margo Lane was to The Shadow. Like Tonto was to the Lone Ranger. And like Kato was to the Green Hornet.
CHAPTER 10
Our house was worse than
Suspense
that week. My father was upset because his brother had told us why Mary didn't finish high school. Amazing Grace was upset because of all the work that had to be done because her parents were coming.
She gave us all double duty. I had to polish the silver and wipe the dishes. Mary and Elizabeth not only took turns washing dishes at night but had to help do spring cleaning. I didn't mind drying because my sisters always sang when they washed.
Mary sang "I'll Walk Alone" and "I'll Be Seeing You" and "We'll Meet Again," the song Vera Lynn sang when she told us to keep smiling through.
Elizabeth sang "Rum and Coca-Cola" like the Andrews Sisters.
I thought they were both very good.
Tom had to put a new coat of whitewash on the inside of the barn. Martin had to rake all the flower beds. It was mid-April and everything outside needed doing.
In
And he knelt down in front of me. "You just keep your eyes and ears open, don't you? But you're always learning."
I was afraid to say anything. He liked me. All my father's family did. They all acted as if I was special to them. The feeling made me uncomfortable. And I try my best to be invisible when they come to visit. Because Amazing Grace will take it out on me later if they fuss over me too much.
"Here," and Uncle Hermie thrust some coupons into my hand. And into the hands of Martin, Tom, and Elizabeth. "Use them, kids. Don't believe that crap about winning the war effort by going without sugar, shoes, or meat. Kids have a right to such things. Kids have a right to their childhood."
All four of us took them, thanked him,
and hugged him. Then Fanny, who'd been standing in the background watching all this, came up to him and put her arm on his shoulder.
"Chicago, Hermie," she said.
He nodded.
"Good-bye, kids." Fanny winked at us and got into the shiny black Buick.
"Good-bye, John," he said to my father.
But my father didn't answer.
Uncle Hermie got into the car. "I'll be back, kids. I'm taking the boys to the Dodgers game Easter week. Be ready."
We stood watching them drive away. My father said nothing. Uncle Hermie, the man-about-town whose identity was so secret even the United States government didn't know he existed, would be back. And he would take my brothers to the Brooklyn Dodgers game. He did once every year.
"Can we keep the coupons, Daddy?" Tom asked.
"Sure." My father shrugged.
Later I asked Martin where he thought the coupons had come from.
"Black market," he said.
"You mean he isn't working for the war effort?"
"He's working for himself," Martin said.
I didn't care Nobody spoke about the matter again. Mary acted like Mrs. Miniver for a week, but Tom and Martin chipped in from their allowance and bought me some sugar.
All thai spring, ever)' time I ate breakfast or had a cup of tea, I thanked Uncle Hermie for the coupons. I couldn't have gotten my new supply of sugar without them.
Later Martin told me what the black market was. People get the things they want, even though the war is on Because dishonest men and crooked politicians make them pay higher prices for things they want. Or print counterfeit coupons and sell them to the people.
How Uncle Hermie came into all this, I didn't know. I didn't want to know. I loved him. He smelled of olives, was nice to us, and said kids should have a childhood.
And inside me I decided that he must be working for the war effort. He was probably with the FBI. And his job was so important that not even his superiors knew his identity.
I decided that this business with the coupons and the black market was just to keep
that identity a secret. As for Fanny, well, she was his faithful sidekick. Like Margo Lane was to The Shadow. Like Tonto was to the Lone Ranger. And like Kato was to the Green Hornet.
CHAPTER 10
Our house was worse than
Suspense
that week. My father was upset because his brother had told us why Mary didn't finish high school. Amazing Grace was upset because of all the work that had to be done because her parents were coming.
She gave us all double duty. I had to polish the silver and wipe the dishes. Mary and Elizabeth not only took turns washing dishes at night but had to help do spring cleaning. I didn't mind drying because my sisters always sang when they washed.
Mary sang "I'll Walk Alone" and "I'll Be Seeing You" and "We'll Meet Again," the song Vera Lynn sang when she told us to keep smiling through.
Elizabeth sang "Rum and Coca-Cola" like the Andrews Sisters.
I thought they were both very good.
Tom had to put a new coat of whitewash on the inside of the barn. Martin had to rake all the flower beds. It was mid-April and everything outside needed doing.
In
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