Page Eight
Friday, September 7, 1945
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
HOMECOMING
(A Rosh Hathonah Short Story)
By M. MELACHMAN
The two men arose from the side of the road. One
picked up a leaf that had just started to turn red. He
smiled at his companion who responded with a slight lift
of his shoulders. They walked on down the dusty road
in the early morning light.
Soon after 7 o'clock they reached the town. For the
first time since they had stopped to rest, they spoke.
"Well, Otto," said one. "Here
it is."
Otto soberly shook his head,
looking at the houses. Both stood
still for a few minutes. Then Otto
said briskly, "Well, we've waited
a long time to get home. Why
are we stopping now? Come on!"
Quickly, as though afraid they
would lose courage if they wait-
ed, they walked into the town.
Now they talked, also quickly.
"Hasn't changed much, has it,
David?" asked Otto.
"No," agreed David, looking
eagerly at familiar houses. He
shook his head. "I never really
thought I would see it again. I
wonder what my grandmother
will say." He stopped, and then
went on uncertainly, "I mean, if
— she is still here. It will be a
joyful Rosh Hashonah for us to-
morrow."
Otto did not reply. He, too, was
wondering. Elsie and little Otto.
He almost wished that he was
still far away. Maybe, it was bet-
ter not to know.
They stopped at the intersec-
tion of two streets. "Here's
where I turn off," said Otto.
"Would you like to come with
me and meet Elsie? After all, it
is time you knew my wife. After
six years together in camp."
"Oh, no. You don't want any-
one around at such a time," Da-
vid replied.
"We wouldn't mind at all. As
a matter of fact, she would want
to meet you. It wouldn't take
much time." Otto looked plead-
ingly at David. David hesitated
and then shook his head.
"I must see my grandmother,"
he said. "She's my family, you
know."
They stood there, reluctant to
go on alone to face what might
await them. David held out his
hand.
"Goodbye," he said. "Let me
know how things are."
"Sure," said Otto.
They shook hands, a formal
meaningless gesture.
"I'll be around to your store
to buy some clothes," said Otto.
CHARLEVOIX, MICH.
"God knows I need them." He
looked at his rags. "I have the
address. Goodbye."
*
*
Two hours later Otto was
drinking tea. It was bitter, but
hot and comforting. Ile looked
across at Elsie, thin and weary,
but happy.
"I won't mind so much about
the baby, now that you're here,"
she said, suddenly crossing to him
and throwing her arm across his
shoulder.
Otto looked up, and patted her.
"I wonder how David found his
grandmother and store. I suppose
the store is pretty well smashed
up."
Elsie shrugged. "If it's the
store I think it is, it's in good
shape."
Otto looked at her questioning-
ly.
"Group Leader Schundheit got
it," Elsie said. "He's been doing
a good business right along, even
when the other stores weren't."
"Well," said Otto, "so much
the better for David. Now he can
get back his business."
"The Nazis are holding on to
CHARLEVOIX, MICH•
what they have."
"But surely- -"
Elsie shook her head. "They
still have what they took. It takes
a long time for things to be
changed."
They were interrupted by a
knock. Elsie opened the door, Da-
vid stood in the doorway, ill at
ease. Otto jumped up.
"Come in. Elsie, here's David.
We were just talking about you."
He looked at David. When they
had separated a few hours ago,
David had been a fearful man,
but a man who had held his head
erect. Now, he looked shrunken.
He had the unmistakeable air of
a concentration camp about him.
"Your grandmother--?"
"Dead."
"But she was old," said Elsie,
as she poured tea for him. "It's
better that she died than to have
had to live through it. All those
years of suffering for an old per-
son. It wouldn't be worth it."
"No," added Otto. "I know it's
hard. But don't mourn for the
old. There are enough young to
mourn for. My Otto--."
David looked at him. "I'm sor-
ry," he said.
BIRMINGHAM, MICH.
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
"HOLMES BEST"
ICE CREAM
at
ANTRIM STREET
Phone 766J
Charlevoix, Mich.
109 BRIDGE
Alden, Mich.
1360 S. WOODWARD
.
PHONE2358
Birmingham, Mich.
PHONE 340
Charlevoix, Mich.
ADRIAN, MICH.
Season's Greetings and Best Wishes
STERNAL'S
AUTO SUPPLY
Dealer In
TIRES AND BATTERIES
Scrap and Metal of All Kinds
306 College Ave.
Phone 918-FI
ADRIAN, MICH.
ALPENA, MICH.
BAY CITY, MICH.
Le Shono Tovo Tikosevu
Season's Greetings and Best Wishes
MARTINSON'S
The Store with a Heart in the
Heart of the City
AFFLECK ELECTRIC
COMPANY
Contractors and Dealers in
Electrical Supplies, Fixtures
Alpena, Mich.
Seasons Greetings and
Best {Vibes!
Phone 5691
Sixth at Adams
Bay City, Mich.
R. G. SILVER
Local and Long Distance Moving
Trucking, Crating, Storage
Birmingham's Complete Atcessory
124 Water St.
Brake Service—Road Service
Firestone ' ■ ires—Exide Batteries
Phitco Radios, Philco Refrigerators
Phone 9-408 S. WOODWARD
Birmingham, Mich.
SEASON'S GREETINGS AND BEST WISHES TO ALL!
WAHR'S
Booksellers - Stationers - Publishers
IMPORTERS OF BOOKS AND PERIODICALS
Window Shades . . . Everything for the Office
Phone 5( 13
103 N. MAIN ST.
Phone 2-1115
316 S. STATE ST.
ANN ARBOR. MICH
ABBOTT GASOLINE CO.
Distributors of
HI-SPEED PRODUCTS
Phone 17
Alpena, Mich.
Rosh Hashonah Greetings to All
RED LION LUNCH
Win. Canis, Prop.
The Friendly Place to Meet
Hamburgers and Hot Dogs
Our Specialty
Open Day and Night
201 Center
Phone 9140
Bay City. Mich.
Benton Harbor, Mich.
A Haon,- and Prosperous New Year
SEASON'S GREETINGS AND BEST WISHES TO Al.l.!
Son
Louis Frank
A Happy and Prosperous New Year
ANN ARBOR, MICH.
Complete Beauty Service
by Experienced Operators
303 BRIDGE ST.
Next to Central Drug
keep still. You fought them, and
they put you away." He slammed
his cup down on the table. "You
got kicked too." He turned to El-
sie. "Sure, he got beaten. You
should have seen him — bloody.
All of us, bloody. But we didn't
(lie — a few of us. We waited to
be free. So what?" He stopped
exhausted.
Elsie was crying. Her head on
the table. Otto said gently, "And
now we are free. Now the Nazis
are finished."
David laughed again. A high
unpleasant laugh. "Yeah, finish-
ed." Ile pounded the table. "Who
has my store. The store I started
Hamilton Beach Sweepers
Le Shono Toro Tikosevu
SELMA PEARL
Beauty Parlor
ou. Your'e not a Jew. You
were there because you wouldn't
Mints Ice Cream Co.
Season's Greetings and Best Wishes
220
Otto.
v .
from nothing? The store with the
rooms behind it that my grand-
mother fixed up so nice. M y
grandmother is dead, but who ha
my home and store? A Nazi."
"I walked in, and there he was
behind the counter. He looked at
me in my prison rags. 'I'm David
Rosenbloom,' I said. `So,' he says,
'we have nothing, to sell today.'
He says that to me. 'I don't think
you understand,' I said. 'This in
my store. If you could tell
where my grandmother is.'
"Ile told me she had died. lie
couldn't say what had happened
to her body. Then he made it
clear that the store was his. And
then," David's face grew red with
humiliation. "Ile put me out, Told
me not to bother him, or I'd he
thrown into jail."
"But didn't you go to theau-
thorities?" asked Otto.
Enjoy Your Summer Refreshments
in the Air-Cooled Fountain Room
Fountain Service—Light Lunches
BELDING
REAL ESTATE
INSURANCE
Otto sighed. "Now he could
have begun a good life. No more
Nazis over him."
David straightened. Anger har-
dened his face and voice. "No
more Nazis," he laughed. "Do
you think things have changed?
They haven't. Not a bit. All those
years I spent being kicked around
from one hell to another. All the
blows. All the humiliation. And
still I kept on—just holding on
so I wouldn't die." his voice be-
came shrill. "No, I wouldn't (lie
because I thought that some day
they would get theirs. Some day
I would be free." Ile glared at
PYRAMID
OIL CC
■
ANN ARBOR, MICH.
A Happy and Prosperous New Year
Diehl Wreckers
Parts for All Makes of Cars
Reasonable Prices—Glass Reset
Late Models Our Specialty
1771.5 PLYMOUTH RD.
Phones 2.2327 and 3314
ANN ARBOR, MICH
A Happy New Year to All
QUALITY
BAKERY
347 S. MAIN ST.
PHONE 2.5681
ANN ARDOR, Mull.
ANN ARBOR, MICH
BENTON HARBOR, MICH.
530 PAW PAW
Benton Harbor, Mich.
NEW YEAR'S GREETINGS TO ALL
248 NINTH ST.
PHONES 5.2111 • 5.2112
Jacobsons
Distinctive Apparel
MICHIGAN FRUIT CANNERS, Inc.
New Year's Greetings
Rosh Hashonah Greetings tc
Season's Greetings and Best Wishes
612 E. LIBERTY
PHONE 2-3194
Ann Arbor, Mich.
BENTON, HARBOR, MICH.
EARL A. YOUNG
REALTOR
•
CHARLEVOIX
THE
BEAUTIFUL
CHARLEVOIX, MICH.
Rosh Hashonah Greetings and Best Wishes
Benton Harbor
Malleable
Industries
KIRKPATRICK DAIRY
GRADE "A" PASTEURIZED MILK
U. S. HEALTH DEPT. STANDARDS
CHARLEVOIX, MICH.
174 GRAHAM
Benton Harbor. Mich.
5706 • Happy New Year • 1.
SLATER'S
INC.
Books—Supplies
336 So. STATE ST.
Phone 3814
Ann Arbor Mich.