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P. 134
which she hadn’t been able to pick up “Oh, I’m sorry,” Chana said, stepping “Yeah.” Alice waved her hand. “But
yet to make the calls for her new job. It into the one-room apartment with a come sit down again. You’re the first bit
seemed to be mocking her. Taunting studio-like feel. “I didn’t realize you of company that I’ve allowed into my
her for thinking of going out on a limb. were on your way out.” room since I got here. Tell me what’s
Outside, her bikur cholim ride was going on in the outside world.”
honking. Chana swung her pocketbook “On my way out?” Alice asked. She
over her shoulder. looked down at her attire. “Oh, you An eccentric artist, Chana thought
mean because of the way I’m dressed?” as she settled herself into the wicker
Maybe she should eat in the nursing chair again. But it was more than just
home cafeteria today. Heidi might even Chana nodded. “Um, yes. That’s a that, she knew. Because Alice’s last
offer to join her. And then she’d know pretty suit you’re wearing.” name was Feldman and two floors
that she was a truly pitiable person, eat- above was a woman twenty years
ing institution food on her special day. Alice waved her hand dismissively. “I Alice’s senior with the same last name
need to dress up every day. It helps and the very same facial features. They
◆◆◆ chase away some of the depression of were mother and daughter, but from
living with old people all the time.” the little that she’d heard from the
“Yes, yes. I’ll come and visit you nurses and Heidi, the two women had
again. Not tomorrow, but the day after. Chana was silent, unsure how to absolutely nothing to do with each
No. Not because tomorrow is Rosh respond to this. “Sit down,” Alice said, other.
Hashana. Because tomorrow I don’t pointing at a white wicker chair that
usually visit the nursing home.” Chana was obviously imported from Alice’s Two floors and seven years of silence
spoke slowly and loudly. “I work on previous place of residence. The other separated the two of them. Chana won-
Tuesdays.” woman sat down across from her on a dered what might have caused the rift
similar chair. A glass-topped table sep- between them. And then, thinking of
“You work? Oh, you’re a gardener, I arated the two women. her hurt when Rusi had told her not to
forgot.” bother making supper for her, she won-
“A taste of home,” Chana said light- dered if there might be a deeper mes-
Chana sighed. Conversations with ly. sage there for her too.
Mrs. Reich often went around in circles
like this one. The elderly woman was Alice snorted. “For years I haven’t ◆◆◆
physically fit, but her bouts of dementia had a home. An apartment that I tried
left her sounding confused and disori- to spruce up a bit is more like it.” But it was only later, when she got
ented. home, that the message seeped in.
“You lived on your own?” Chana
Her visiting time drew to a close and asked, to make conversation. It was seven o’clock and Chana had
Chana leaned over to peck the barely managed to pop a frozen bagel
woman’s cheek and fluff her pillow. Alice waved her hand. “I lived where into the microwave for another supper
Mrs. Reich wiped a tear from her eye. I lived. Don’t we all?” without Rusi when the doorbell rang.
“Like Mama,” she sighed.
Chana looked at the large flowered She was completely caught off guard
Chana slipped out of the room tapestry hanging behind her. “I must to see her friend Debbi and her friend’s
silently. say, you’ve turned your room into a married daughter at the door.
special little place,” she said, trying to
Alice Feldman. Suite 203. Somehow, bridge the awkwardness. “Debbi and Miri,” she exclaimed,
the youngest woman in the ward had glad that she was still wearing her shei-
taken over a piece of her heart. And all Alice snorted again. “Art’s my mid- tel. “It’s so nice of you to come by for a
this despite the fact that in the two dle name. I’ve been doing these things visit.”
weeks since Alice had been admitted to forever.”
the home, she hadn’t once allowed Debbi and Miri followed Chana into
Chana into her room. They’d met in the “You made this tapestry?” Chana the foyer. “Rusi didn’t tell you we were
dining room, though, and their conver- asked. coming?”
sations had been pleasant enough, if
somewhat silted. Alice nodded. “The gold figurines Chana shook her head. “No. Was
too. And the painting over my bed.” she supposed to?”
“Mrs. Schwimmer, is that you?” Alice Although she remained seated when
asked at her knock. Chana stood up, she seemed to take “I thought that we would get here
pleasure in Chana’s obvious admira- after the sur–” Debbi stopped talking
“Yes, it is. Can I let myself in?” tion as she walked around the room, mid-sentence and looked around the
There was no reply and Chana exclaiming over each work of art. dining room. “I guess…” Her voice
paused at the door handle. With some trailed off.
of the other patients, no reply usually “These things are gorgeous. I would-
meant yes, but with Alice she couldn’t n’t mind buying some of the figurines A jiggle at the front door solved the
be sure. for my house.” mystery. It was Rusi. Chana went to the
“Come in.” The door opened of its front hallway to greet her daughter and
own accord, Alice standing behind it in Alice made a dismissive gesture with was overwhelmed by the sight of her
a dark blue suit. her hands. “It’s okay. I know the value bearing two shopping bags full of take-
of my work. Good enough for me, but out from A Breath of Eden. Etty Taub
others don’t need my trash.”
“Your trash?” Chana’s mouth
dropped open.
130 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
yet to make the calls for her new job. It into the one-room apartment with a come sit down again. You’re the first bit
seemed to be mocking her. Taunting studio-like feel. “I didn’t realize you of company that I’ve allowed into my
her for thinking of going out on a limb. were on your way out.” room since I got here. Tell me what’s
Outside, her bikur cholim ride was going on in the outside world.”
honking. Chana swung her pocketbook “On my way out?” Alice asked. She
over her shoulder. looked down at her attire. “Oh, you An eccentric artist, Chana thought
mean because of the way I’m dressed?” as she settled herself into the wicker
Maybe she should eat in the nursing chair again. But it was more than just
home cafeteria today. Heidi might even Chana nodded. “Um, yes. That’s a that, she knew. Because Alice’s last
offer to join her. And then she’d know pretty suit you’re wearing.” name was Feldman and two floors
that she was a truly pitiable person, eat- above was a woman twenty years
ing institution food on her special day. Alice waved her hand dismissively. “I Alice’s senior with the same last name
need to dress up every day. It helps and the very same facial features. They
◆◆◆ chase away some of the depression of were mother and daughter, but from
living with old people all the time.” the little that she’d heard from the
“Yes, yes. I’ll come and visit you nurses and Heidi, the two women had
again. Not tomorrow, but the day after. Chana was silent, unsure how to absolutely nothing to do with each
No. Not because tomorrow is Rosh respond to this. “Sit down,” Alice said, other.
Hashana. Because tomorrow I don’t pointing at a white wicker chair that
usually visit the nursing home.” Chana was obviously imported from Alice’s Two floors and seven years of silence
spoke slowly and loudly. “I work on previous place of residence. The other separated the two of them. Chana won-
Tuesdays.” woman sat down across from her on a dered what might have caused the rift
similar chair. A glass-topped table sep- between them. And then, thinking of
“You work? Oh, you’re a gardener, I arated the two women. her hurt when Rusi had told her not to
forgot.” bother making supper for her, she won-
“A taste of home,” Chana said light- dered if there might be a deeper mes-
Chana sighed. Conversations with ly. sage there for her too.
Mrs. Reich often went around in circles
like this one. The elderly woman was Alice snorted. “For years I haven’t ◆◆◆
physically fit, but her bouts of dementia had a home. An apartment that I tried
left her sounding confused and disori- to spruce up a bit is more like it.” But it was only later, when she got
ented. home, that the message seeped in.
“You lived on your own?” Chana
Her visiting time drew to a close and asked, to make conversation. It was seven o’clock and Chana had
Chana leaned over to peck the barely managed to pop a frozen bagel
woman’s cheek and fluff her pillow. Alice waved her hand. “I lived where into the microwave for another supper
Mrs. Reich wiped a tear from her eye. I lived. Don’t we all?” without Rusi when the doorbell rang.
“Like Mama,” she sighed.
Chana looked at the large flowered She was completely caught off guard
Chana slipped out of the room tapestry hanging behind her. “I must to see her friend Debbi and her friend’s
silently. say, you’ve turned your room into a married daughter at the door.
special little place,” she said, trying to
Alice Feldman. Suite 203. Somehow, bridge the awkwardness. “Debbi and Miri,” she exclaimed,
the youngest woman in the ward had glad that she was still wearing her shei-
taken over a piece of her heart. And all Alice snorted again. “Art’s my mid- tel. “It’s so nice of you to come by for a
this despite the fact that in the two dle name. I’ve been doing these things visit.”
weeks since Alice had been admitted to forever.”
the home, she hadn’t once allowed Debbi and Miri followed Chana into
Chana into her room. They’d met in the “You made this tapestry?” Chana the foyer. “Rusi didn’t tell you we were
dining room, though, and their conver- asked. coming?”
sations had been pleasant enough, if
somewhat silted. Alice nodded. “The gold figurines Chana shook her head. “No. Was
too. And the painting over my bed.” she supposed to?”
“Mrs. Schwimmer, is that you?” Alice Although she remained seated when
asked at her knock. Chana stood up, she seemed to take “I thought that we would get here
pleasure in Chana’s obvious admira- after the sur–” Debbi stopped talking
“Yes, it is. Can I let myself in?” tion as she walked around the room, mid-sentence and looked around the
There was no reply and Chana exclaiming over each work of art. dining room. “I guess…” Her voice
paused at the door handle. With some trailed off.
of the other patients, no reply usually “These things are gorgeous. I would-
meant yes, but with Alice she couldn’t n’t mind buying some of the figurines A jiggle at the front door solved the
be sure. for my house.” mystery. It was Rusi. Chana went to the
“Come in.” The door opened of its front hallway to greet her daughter and
own accord, Alice standing behind it in Alice made a dismissive gesture with was overwhelmed by the sight of her
a dark blue suit. her hands. “It’s okay. I know the value bearing two shopping bags full of take-
of my work. Good enough for me, but out from A Breath of Eden. Etty Taub
others don’t need my trash.”
“Your trash?” Chana’s mouth
dropped open.
130 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
