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.