Too Jewish by Patty Friedmann Page A
Authors: Patty Friedmann
Tags: Fiction, Historical, Literature & Fiction, European, Holocaust, Jewish, Love Story, Literary Fiction, Novel, Jews, New Orleans, Continental European, Drama & Plays, Regional & Cultural, World Literature, Dramas & Plays, dysfunctional family, Judaica, Jewish Interest, Three Novellas, Southern Jews, Survivor’s Guilt, Family Novel, Orthodox Jewish Literature, Psychosomatic Illness
Ads: Link
scam artist. But the fact remains that I can't use my business connections this way. These men are my clients. The men who own stores use me as their investment advisor."
"We also know them socially," Mrs. Adler said. "These are important people in the community."
"You could be a silent partner," Letty said. "That'd be fine. All Bernie needs is 160 dollars."
I had to tell her the facts. "No, that's what I need to get my mother out," I said. "I need twice that much, I'm afraid, to have enough, what do you call it? Stock. But this is too embarrassing. I told you at the start that I am not a beggar."
Mrs. Adler reached out toward me to pat my hand. It was quite a stretch, down that long table. "Son, it's more embarrassing for us than it is for you, believe me. During the Depression we had to turn people away at the door all the time."
Letty placed both fists on the table. "Maybe it's time for me to start working at Higgins," she said.
I knew about Higgins. We all did at the base. Higgins was building boats for the war effort. Probably a third of the people in New Orleans were working there. It was an enormous operation, and from what I could see a very democratic one, with patriotic rich people working hard alongside struggling poor ones. And most of the workers were women. Men were away at war.
"You're in school," Mr. Adler said. "That's doing your part for the war effort."
"Oh, please," Letty said. "I wasn't born yesterday." Now I understood what that expression meant. "I think I should drop out of school and make a wage I could give Bernie. That would help the war and help a refugee."
"Please don't be dramatic," Mrs. Adler said. She removed her hand from mine.
"I'm serious," Letty said. "I don't think you know how serious I am. Bernie's situation is urgent. If I start work on Monday, he could have all my wages starting Friday."
"And where would you live?" Mr. Adler said. He was red in the face. Letty shrugged. She knew what he was implying. "I'll tell you where you'll live. Under a bridge with all the rest of the bums. Unless you use your wages to rent a room. Because you only live in this house if you go to school. Do you hear me?"
Letty nodded.
Mrs. Adler turned to me. "I have never seen my daughter act up like this. I don't know what kind of spell you've cast over her, but she is out of control. I am not impressed."
"I looked to Letty. "Please, could we change the subject?" I was willing to eat even though I felt sick to my stomach.
"That's a fine idea," Mrs. Adler said with a great deal of enthusiasm. We ate in silence, and I could mimic the way Letty mixed her food. She worked hard to demonstrate how she held her knife and fork. "In Germany we hold our knives and forks differently," I said.
"You're very continental, I think," Letty said.
Mrs. Adler's eyebrows were raised as she watched me struggle with my knife. I needed to remember that to her continental was not a good way to be.
I tried to seem American. "This dinner is delicious," I said to Mrs. Adler. "What do you call this?"
"Oh we're doing our part for the war effort. It's poor folks' food. Red beans and rice with pickled pork."
Pork?
Chapter Four
Everything was in spite of itself. In spite of my wish to ship out and make my contribution to the war effort, I was finding myself more and more comfortable with New Orleans. This also was in spite of how temporary my stay was to be. This was not a part of the world I wanted to place anywhere but memory. Yet it had a certain European quality I hadn't seen in New York or Georgia. And I was afraid that its having Letty was affecting me more than I wanted. This was a girl who knew I vomited during dinner at her parents' house and blamed her mother, not me.
She met me in the French Quarter one afternoon after her classes. "Mama will think I'm in the library," she said. Her parents let her go out on Saturday nights during school, she said. I had offered to come up and meet her on the campus, but Letty
"We also know them socially," Mrs. Adler said. "These are important people in the community."
"You could be a silent partner," Letty said. "That'd be fine. All Bernie needs is 160 dollars."
I had to tell her the facts. "No, that's what I need to get my mother out," I said. "I need twice that much, I'm afraid, to have enough, what do you call it? Stock. But this is too embarrassing. I told you at the start that I am not a beggar."
Mrs. Adler reached out toward me to pat my hand. It was quite a stretch, down that long table. "Son, it's more embarrassing for us than it is for you, believe me. During the Depression we had to turn people away at the door all the time."
Letty placed both fists on the table. "Maybe it's time for me to start working at Higgins," she said.
I knew about Higgins. We all did at the base. Higgins was building boats for the war effort. Probably a third of the people in New Orleans were working there. It was an enormous operation, and from what I could see a very democratic one, with patriotic rich people working hard alongside struggling poor ones. And most of the workers were women. Men were away at war.
"You're in school," Mr. Adler said. "That's doing your part for the war effort."
"Oh, please," Letty said. "I wasn't born yesterday." Now I understood what that expression meant. "I think I should drop out of school and make a wage I could give Bernie. That would help the war and help a refugee."
"Please don't be dramatic," Mrs. Adler said. She removed her hand from mine.
"I'm serious," Letty said. "I don't think you know how serious I am. Bernie's situation is urgent. If I start work on Monday, he could have all my wages starting Friday."
"And where would you live?" Mr. Adler said. He was red in the face. Letty shrugged. She knew what he was implying. "I'll tell you where you'll live. Under a bridge with all the rest of the bums. Unless you use your wages to rent a room. Because you only live in this house if you go to school. Do you hear me?"
Letty nodded.
Mrs. Adler turned to me. "I have never seen my daughter act up like this. I don't know what kind of spell you've cast over her, but she is out of control. I am not impressed."
"I looked to Letty. "Please, could we change the subject?" I was willing to eat even though I felt sick to my stomach.
"That's a fine idea," Mrs. Adler said with a great deal of enthusiasm. We ate in silence, and I could mimic the way Letty mixed her food. She worked hard to demonstrate how she held her knife and fork. "In Germany we hold our knives and forks differently," I said.
"You're very continental, I think," Letty said.
Mrs. Adler's eyebrows were raised as she watched me struggle with my knife. I needed to remember that to her continental was not a good way to be.
I tried to seem American. "This dinner is delicious," I said to Mrs. Adler. "What do you call this?"
"Oh we're doing our part for the war effort. It's poor folks' food. Red beans and rice with pickled pork."
Pork?
Chapter Four
Everything was in spite of itself. In spite of my wish to ship out and make my contribution to the war effort, I was finding myself more and more comfortable with New Orleans. This also was in spite of how temporary my stay was to be. This was not a part of the world I wanted to place anywhere but memory. Yet it had a certain European quality I hadn't seen in New York or Georgia. And I was afraid that its having Letty was affecting me more than I wanted. This was a girl who knew I vomited during dinner at her parents' house and blamed her mother, not me.
She met me in the French Quarter one afternoon after her classes. "Mama will think I'm in the library," she said. Her parents let her go out on Saturday nights during school, she said. I had offered to come up and meet her on the campus, but Letty
Similar Books
