Eva's Journey The Bumpy Road to Heaven

By R.M. Vermett

Eva and her immigrant family live between the railroad tracks and Fort Wayne, the military base along the Detroit River in the fifties. Eva lives on a multicultural street and grows up with many wonderful types of people. Her neighborhood in the first book covers the lives of neighbors and friends and her brother's tragic little friend, Danny. Eva and Leo grow up together, sharing a sadly dysfunctional family life, but there are good moments and some heart-ending times. The summertime was the highlight of their world at Detroit's Boblo Boat rides, the beautiful jewel of the city, Belle Isle, where families picnicked and swam at the beaches and rode across the Belle Isle ferry boat. The second part is Eva's life and how the road leads to growing up and becoming strong in the face of sorrow and tragedy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9781684565320

Book preview

Chapter One

The Immigrants

1950 Detroit

She was a little over four years old when she began to be aware of the world around her with a curious attention to the way people reacted towards one another. She clenched the spindles at the foot of her bed and watched her father and mother quarreling. It had awakened her from a sound sleep. He had pinned her mother against the wall and she was crying. Suddenly, the violence stopped as he began kissing her on the face and neck. Eva was frightened by what she could not understand. She stared at them from the dark of the room off the kitchen for a while, not comprehending. She fell asleep, and the next thing she knew, it was morning and she could smell the coffee percolating on the stove and baby Leo crying as her mother dressed him.

Eva was quietly eating her oatmeal while watching Leo crawling on the shiny linoleum floor chasing the little cat. The stray animal had followed Viktor from the bus stop as he came home from work one day and he took pity on the little cat and decided to keep it. Leo was pulling the cat’s tail as it cried out and Eva jumped down from her chair to release Leo’s grip. Lilli left the sink and her dishes and picked up Leo.

That’s enough… How does that feel to you? she said, yanking his blond hair as he let out a scream. Now, you know how that poor kitty feels… It hurts him too! He doesn’t have a mama to protect him…and you remember that!

Leo rubbed his head and hic cupped looking innocently at his sister.

Leo you’re a bad boy…I’m telling Papa when he comes home…poor kitty, Eva almost mimicked her mother.

Never mind, Eva…go back and finish your breakfast and go out and play in the backyard, Lilli ordered as she brought out an old blanket and toys for Leo while Eva grabbed her little doll and followed her mother out the back door of their rented flat.

Eva, you watch him… Do you hear? I have ironing to do. Lilli placed her son on the blanket with little toys and went indoors.

Eva was happy to play with her little doll and watched Leo discover the blades of grass. He became fixated on the ants and tried to grab one with his chubby fingers.

She turned the pages of her picture book of angels guarding little children, it was like the pretty calendar that her father had hung in the kitchen; the big golden wings that seemed to shelter the little boy and girl crossing the bridge of rushing water. Eva was lost in her reverie as she watched the fluffy clouds as they drifted into different shapes. A loud cry from Leo made her jump off the blanket and rush to his side as he hung from the porch railing. His foot was stuck in the small lattice opening and he was screaming wildly as Lilli ran out of the house and quickly dislodged his foot.

I thought I told you to watch him, she scolded Eva as she carried Leo into the kitchen and gave him a baby bottle of sweet sugar water to calm him down.

Mama…I was looking up in the sky…to see if the angels were in the clouds. Eva started to cry as she followed her mother in doors and afraid of a spanking.

I’ll give you angels, you stupid girl… You’re not a baby anymore and you have to look out for your baby brother. Thank God, you’ll be starting school in the fall…then I will only have Leo to worry about most of the day. Lilli scolded as she nervously washed Leo’s hands and face and he began to cry again.

After peace was restored in the house, Eva was allowed to go back out doors. She played with her doll on the porch railing and it slipped out of her hands and dropped to the ledge of the porch. She climbed over the railing and reached for the doll and lost her balance.

Her chin hit a large pipe as she fell to the ground. The painful fall made her cry out in pain bringing Lilli outdoors.

Can’t you play one minute without getting into trouble…I can’t get any work done today…with both of you interrupting my chores. Now, look at you Eva, just look at your chin!

Eva whimpered in pain quietly as her face was cleaned and iodine was applied which made her cry out from the stinging medicine and then Lilli stopped to answer the knock at the front door.

Who could that be…oh, no…it’s Violetta Markus, she looked through the front window curtains next to the door. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph…that’s all I need now…is company.

Lilli opened the door regretfully, her eyes quickly sweeping over Violetta’s lovely print summer dress and ankle strap shoes of fine quality.

Hello, please come in, Lilli ran her fingers through her hair, adjusting the pins.

Lilli, how are you? I was in the neighborhood, shopping at that nice little hat shop on Michigan Avenue, and I thought…well, I’m so close to your street that I came by.

Violetta’s eyes quickly observed the tiny four-room flat. The walls of the kitchen and front room were dingy-looking, and there was very little furniture—only a worn sofa and a wooden table and four chairs in the kitchen. She was glad that Viktor was not home because he frightened her. She began to cough violently.

Do you want a glass of water, Violetta, Lilli became concerned at the woman’s violent cough. I’ll make us some tea, I’m sorry I don’t have any cake… I haven’t gone shopping yet.

Thank you, tea will be good, she said between the coughing spasms. It’s probably a cold that I simply can’t get rid of. Oh, what happened to your chin, darling?

Eva mumbled something incoherent to Lilli’s annoyance as she brought out two clean cups and saucers.

Speak up, Eva! Mrs. Markus is talking to you. She fell off the porch and is now in one of her moods, Lilli informed her as she cleared off the table.

And where is the baby, Lilli? I haven’t seen him yet and heard he’s an angel?

I put him down for a nap, but you can peek in and see him. Lilli hoped she would not accept the invitation. And to her relief, she said she did not want to disturb him.

You poor little thing, let me hug you. Violetta reached out to Eva and grabbed her suddenly, frightening the child.

Eva cried out, No…no… You have TB… You have TB… and was quickly released as Lilli raced over, embarrassed and shocked, and began spanking the child. Her sudden actions jolted Violetta, and she quickly jumped up to stop Lilli.

Please…Lilli, she just a child and didn’t know what she was saying. Violetta knew Eva was just repeating what she had heard her parents discuss about her.

Eva, you say you’re sorry to Mrs. Markus…right now, Lilli’s face was flushed.

The child slowly came back to Violetta and did as she was told.

I understand dear, you didn’t mean what you said. She patted her head and Eva quickly ran back to the kitchen chair where she had left her little rag doll.

Lilli nervously chattered as she served tea and apologizing for not having any sweets in the house, and Violetta drank her tea quickly so that she could make excuses to leave as she realized that she had not been a welcomed guest She couldn’t blame Lilli, for she knew the common gossip among their many acquaintances that they were a volatile couple and that Viktor beat his wife. After her second cup of hot tea, Violetta’s cough seemed to subside, and she thanked Lilli and told her she had more errands to run. Both women were secretly relieved as they parted company. Lilli went back to her chores and was glad that Leo was still sleeping.

Come here. Lilli bent down, reaching out her arms to enfold her little girl, rocking her gently. Eva, you must never be rude to a guest, we must learn to be polite. Now I’ll get you some bread and butter, and we can share a cup of tea.

Lilli had felt sorrow for spanking Eva and tried to make it up to her in the only way she knew how. While her little girl ate her bread, Lilli sat down to relax and lit a cigarette. She had envied Violetta’s clothes, and her freedom from the endless drudgery she was feeling. She was only twenty-three, and yet it seemed she lived two lifetimes. Her thoughts were lost in reverie.

She had fled Lithuania, with many students who did not want to be occupied by the Communists who were invading her country. The Russians were invading the small Baltic countries as the war raged on. Students were revolting against the Communists sympathizers many teachers in her school, one in particular who was beaten up by the students. Several of her school friends convinced her to flee with them to Germany or die by the hands of the Russians. Her beloved Auntie Teta cried hysterically, begging her not to leave, and she was torn with guilt and fear, and yet her young mind was feeling the excitement of finding new worlds to discover for a better life. She had the lonely farm life and wanted more. She and her students clung together and found shelter in Vienna, Austria. Lyda and her friends were by the famous giant Ferris wheel when Viktor came up to her and introduced himself. They fell in love in the last days of the war. They found their way to southern Germany and met Olga, Joe, Peter, and Sonia living among their own countrymen. Viktor, along with the other men, found work and the three couples shared one apartment and pooled their resources.

Lilli sipped the last of her tea, looking at her little girl soundly sleeping on the sofa hugging her little doll. She got up to peel some potatoes and prepare the flour for dumplings. Viktor would be home in two hours. As she worked, her thought went to the days in Germany. There were colonies of ethnic peoples all seeking to gather with their own kind. Olga, Joe, Sonia, and Peter became their family. It was a soft feeling to be with people who spoke the same language, whose intense conversations and intense laughter covered the fear of helplessness, not knowing what the next day would bring. The radio was the most treasured possession; it brought news but, most of all, music. Lyda became Lilli one night when the German song Lilli Marlene came over the airwaves. Joe had brought a bottle of wine, and Viktor had brought some precious deserts with his hard-earned money. Peter had found a couple of tins of fish, and they celebrated their blessings after the men’s hard day’s work. It was Joe who, after a few glasses of wine, christened Lyda as their Lilli Marlene, and everyone agreed, including Viktor. He admitted to Lilli’s delight that when he first saw her, he was so taken by her Nordic good looks he thought she was from Sweden. He was elated to learn she was Lithuanian after meeting her and that she did resemble the beautiful Marlene Dietrich.

The coffee houses were always crowded until curfew time. And one night, Viktor and Lilli had forgotten it was past curfew in Germany. As they were walking home in the dark, around the corner, German soldiers shouted for them to halt. But they panicked and ran and suddenly heard gun shots but kept running until they miraculously got to their apartment. After a few moments, Lilli felt a searing pain and saw her blood-drenched dress. Her thigh had been grazed by a bullet, and Viktor quickly went for clean towels to clean her wound. Their friends were horrified and helped to make her comfortable as best they could with tea and some bread, and Joe still had some wine.

*****

Leo’s cries snapped Lilli out of her reverie, and she rushed to pick him up before he rolled off the bed. She warmed up the bottle of milk and laid him down on the sofa and told Eva, who was awake now, to watch him as she continued making potato dumplings and went back to the memories.

Lilli was taken by Viktor’s intelligence, strong personality, and good looks though he was very thin.

At the coffee house, she and their friends listened for hours and many cups of coffee as he talked of how he fled extreme poverty at fifteen years of age. As a boy, he sold newspapers to help his mother who worked in a cafe bar and even sometimes sang.

The poverty became worse when Viktor’s father was arrested by the Bolsheviks and shot. With six children hungry and a sick sister who died from blood poisoning, Viktor fled to find a better world and promised his mother he would come back when he could find better work. He ended up in Germany, survived for a while, and landed in a German labor camp. Viktor had lived through dire deprivation and learned to survive by his sharpened wits and escaped the labor camp.

Lilli had fallen in love with the wavy-haired, skinny young man and his fiery political passion for learning and his love of books because he was forced to leave school as a child to earn money; he valued education. His piercing gray eyes sparkled with excitement when he spoke, and everyone listened and then Lilli discovered she was pregnant, and they quickly married in a civil ceremony. She was thankful that her dear Auntie Teta, who was a devout Catholic, would not know of her pagan ceremony. Teta would have been mortified that Lilli was with child and not wed in a church. Her letters to her auntie avoided many details and only told half-truths. How different Viktor’s childhood was from Lilli’s. She had been raised by a doting widowed aunt who was well off and showered Lilli with love and a comfortable home life. But Lilli would never forget the mother who ran off to Paris, abandoning her only child for her lover. As the years went by, she received lovely gifts of clothing—stockings and pretty dresses until one day they stopped, and one day, a letter came that her mother had died in childbirth. All those childhood prayers of seeing her mother were never to be answered. She would carry an unconscious melancholy into the very depth of her soul for the mother she prayed to meet just once.

Viktor came in the door, and Eva ran to greet him as Lilli quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as she stood over the stove watching the boiling dumplings. He told her he was ravenous, and Lilli quickly brought out the first batch of dumplings to the table. Eva brought up Violetta’s visit, and Lilli explained the unfortunate incident.

"Well, it’s true. Someone told me that Violetta Markus was suffering from some kind of lung ailment…that she’s been sick. I don’t know where Eva got to learn the word TB but she must have heard you talking or gossiping among your lady friends." He dismissed her and folded his newspaper and started eating his dinner.

Do you think we could go to the movies tonight? Lilli asked gently as she cut up a dumpling for Eva while Leo crawled around on the floor and played with some pots and pans that Lilli gave him.

We’ll see…I want to finish reading my paper. He was preoccupied.

The American movies had mesmerized Lilli and Viktor, and they went often. It was also another way to learn English, especially for Lilli, who was isolated at home all the time, though she could speak Polish with her neighbor, Lavinia, across the street. They only spoke their native tongue at home, and Lilli found it harder to really learn English.

It was September and Eva’s first day at school. She was led by her mother into the classroom of St. Hedwig’s Catholic School. Eva watched as some children cried and clung to their mothers, but she only quietly stared at her surroundings and was guided to the little desk by the nun as her mother disappeared from the room. She was intrigued by the nuns and, during those first weeks, wondered what they looked like underneath their veils. At home, she would put her mother’s scarf over her head and pretend to be Sister Catherine, very devout and pious, to Lilli’s amusement.

By May time, Eva was excited that the sisters organized a special procession for the first Sunday in May to celebrate the Month of Mary, and one child was randomly picked to place a crown of flowers on the statue’s head before Mass. All the first-grade girls wore white dresses and were given a pot of flowers; the boys wore dark-blue trousers and white shirts and also carried a little pot of flowers as they walked around the church and then into the center aisle toward the altar where the statue of the Blessed Mother was standing.

Eva felt wonderfully important as the people walking outside stopped and smiled and the cars slowed down to wave at the little children. Lilli with tears in her eyes watched with pride along with other parents as the children placed flowers on the altar.

But she was saddened that Viktor only stood outside until Eva entered the church and then he left. Lilli knew he would not enter the church for he didn’t believe in God. But he believed in the Catholic schools disciplined education.

One day toward the last days of school, Sister Catherine passed out papers to each child. Eva looked at the picture of an angel standing in the center and pointing at the middle of two roads. One road curved and was smooth, and the other road was bumpy and filled with holes.

Now children, I want you to put your thinking caps on and study this picture, the young nuns blue eyes swept over each child, staring intently at the picture. The angel is pointing for a very important reason. The angel wants us to choose one of the roads, which one? Can anyone tell me? Yes, Emily. Sister looked over at the only hand that was raised.

The smooth road, the little girl with pale flaxen hair answered softly.

Do you all agree with Emily? The nun saw all the little heads nodding in agreement.

Well, if you look more closely at the picture, the angel is really pointing at the rough and uneven road.

Eva looked hard at the angel. It was true; the angel pointed at the bumpy road.

As you grow older, you will suffer from trials and tribulations in life. The Good Lord wants to prepare each of you so that when you travel down the bumpy road of life, you will learn that it will make you stronger, that hard work is good and that the smooth and easy road is the road to sin. Remember when we sacrificed some of our nickels or pennies for the babies in Africa? It would have been easier to just spend our money on candy, but we denied ourselves for a greater cause and it felt good to help others, didn’t it? Sister Catherine smiled as the children all nodded in unison. Now you may color the picture and take it home to show your mother and father.

Eva lovingly colored her angel and later explained to Lilli the meaning of the two roads.

Sister is a very wise teacher, and she is right, Lilli wistfully replied.

Chapter Two

Otis Street

One day, Lilli’s friend Sonia and her little boy Harvey came to visit. Sonia was now driving and, over coffee, talked of how wonderful it was to have such independence. Lilli listened wistfully, knowing she and Viktor could not even afford a car. While the two women enjoyed the cake that Sonia brought, Eva was trying to pacify Harvey and keep him from punching her. Every time the two families came together, Harvey ended up punching Eva in the stomach. Sonia and Peter adored their only son, who seemed to be fearless. On this day, it wasn’t long before Harvey started chasing Eva around the kitchen table, attempting to corner her. Sonia, absorbed in her chattering, ignored Harvey as he began to punch Eva. Lilli finally could not stand it and admonished Harvey. Sonia suddenly stopped talking and quickly ordered him to sit by her side. But that didn’t last long, and after about an hour, Eva was happy to see them leave. Later that evening, Lilli talked to Viktor about how Sonia did little to reign in her son.

Well, you know boys,—Viktor looked up from his paper—but that little brat needs a good spanking. The only time I saw Peter give him one was that time Harvey took the keys to the car and attempted to start it…can you believe? That kid will grow up to be a criminal!

I’m going to teach Eva to defend herself against that little monster, Lilli said, while washing up the supper dishes.

*****

Another month went by, and Sonia and Harvey came to visit again. And Eva remembered Lilli’s words.

When Harvey punches you again, you tell him you have a magic place and go by the empty corner there, and when he’s looking for the magic, punch him and let him see how it feels.

And as Sonia chattered over coffee, she heard Harvey’s screams and Lilli ignored them. Suddenly, Harvey broke away from Eva, who was sitting on him and banging his head against the wall. Sonia looked over at Lilli, who silently sipped her coffee.

Children, stop that now! Come here, darling, Sonia said to her son, and Eva ran over to her mother.

The children were given some cake and milk, and Harvey kept looking at Eva but was surprisingly docile the rest of the visit.

Almost a year later, when Eva and her parents came to visit Sonia and Peter at their new house, Harvey seemed to have changed. He generously shared his toys and they became friends for the first time.

*****

The second-grade nun was not at all like Sister Catherine, who was young and pretty with pale-blue eyes and a gentle manner. Sister Frances seemed very old and barely smiled. She also had a very short temper. The addition tables were on the blackboard, and Sister ordered each child to stand and give the answers to the tables. Down the row of desks, Eva trembled, awaiting her turn.

Speak up, Eva. The nun pushed her forward toward the blackboard. What is the answer to nine plus eight?

Eva was frozen with fear because she did not know the answer. The angry nun released her to her seat and ordered her to study her tables at home.

Eva cried as she gave the note to her mother.

What does this mean, Eva tell me? Lilli felt flustered as she held the paper unable to decipher its meaning because she could not read in English.

Eva, always speaking her parent’s native tongue, explained to Lilli about the addition problems, but Lilli was distracted that moment, when Leo crawled up and grabbed a dish breaking it. It was about a week later that Eva brought home a second note and began to cry again to Lilli’s annoyance.

Well, what did you do now?

Eva confessed that she had scribbled her red crayon on the pages of a book belonging to the little girl who shared her desk. Sister Francis had slapped her hand, shocking her and took the crayon away and made her sit in a corner. Eva said the little girl kept pinching her.

Those teachers need the patience of a saint, and if I were Sister, I would have slapped you too! Lilli found no sympathy for Eva that day.

During the three short years on Otis Street, Lilli and Viktor grew to know their neighbors across from them. Lavinia Folk and Lilli met through the children and had been exchanging Polish greetings with the young couple who were fluent in her native language. The kind iceman at the comer of the street was Lavinia’s father, Mr. Walczak. Viktor stopped to chat with the friendly old man who sat in front of the tiny ice house smoking a pipe and loading blocks of ice every now and then when customers came to buy ice for their ice boxes. After her divorce from Howard Polk, Lavinia and her two boys, Jerry and Richie, lived with her parents in the large first floor flat that had three bedrooms. Her married sister, Ona, and husband, Stash, occupied the second floor flat, while an unmarried sister lived in the tiny apartment on the top floor with a long staircase entrance in the back. After her mother’s death, she became devoted to her generous and kindhearted father, who doted on the boys.

Eva was almost seven, and Jerry had turned eight that year. Leo was a year younger than five-year-old Richie and, at times, was afraid of him. This particular day, Jerry was shouting out orders from the back porch rail, pretending to be a train conductor, and Richie refused to be a passenger. Leo was at home playing by himself in the front yard with his truck.

No…no, I’m gonna be a bad guy cowboy and…be a train robber. He jumped off the porch and pointed his toy gun at Eva. Bang…bang…bang…Eva fall down! You’re supposed to be dead!

I’m not playing with you, Richie, Eva said as Jerry ran over to a pile of bricks that were stacked high on the small lot next door. Let’s pretend we’re mountain climbing. And they ran up to the pile and began to climb. Richie also began to throw the bricks off the pile onto the ground.

Hey, what are you kids doing? Get off the pile of bricks right now…or I go tell your mother, the gravelly voice of the old woman strained to yell.

Eva jumped off and stared at the woman with the big mole on her nose.

Oh no, that’s the witch, Jerry whispered to her, and Richie looked defiant as he refused to move, and Eva thought that she really did look like a witch.

Jerry grabbed his little brother and dragged him off the pile of bricks, and Richie began to shout at Jerry and the old woman. Lavinia came out on the back porch with a dish towel in her hands and asked the boys what all the commotion was about as the old lady slammed her door shut.

Richie…get in the house right now and stop being disrespectable to Mrs. Adam, Lavinia scolded.

No, I ain’t comin’ in…she’s a witch…witch, Richie stood there shouting and ran to the front of the house as Lavinia ordered Jerry to grab him and bring him indoors. The little boy saw his brother coming for him and ran dropping to the sidewalk, kicking and screaming.

Richie, stop that, look at all the neighbors looking at you. I’m gonna write Santa today and tell him what a bad boy you are and then you’ll see…you won’t have any toys under the Christmas tree, Lavinia calmly tried to coax him.

I don’t care…I hate you… he screamed at his mother.

Lilli was watching from her front yard while Leo was playing with his toys. She took him by the hand and walked across the street to Lavinia’s aid. Richie was still on the sidewalk; his face was dirty and streaked from crying, while Jerry tried dragging him up the porch steps.

Richie, honey, that’s not nice to talk to your mama like that, Lilli suddenly captured his attention. Come on, honey, let’s go in the house and I’ll get Eva to tell you a story about the magic crocodile. Lilli winked at Lavinia and made eye contact with Eva, who was on the steps.

To Lavinia’s relief, Richie suddenly got up, rubbing his dirty hands over his eyes and, obviously tired, followed everyone into the house. Eva giggled at Richie’s smudged eyes and dirty face, but the look from her mother meant Don’t start, and she sat down on Lavinia’s sofa. Lavinia served milk and cookies, after cleaning off Richie face and hands, and the children then relaxed on the living room floor as Eva began her story about the magic crocodile who would come out of the lake looking for bad children. Lavinia and Lilli enjoyed their coffee and could hardly suppress chuckling at Eva’s imaginative seven-year-old mind. Richie was mesmerized and, when the story ended, begged Eva to tell another story. Eva tried to remember stories her daddy had told her about the wolf who lived in the snowy forest. An hour had gone quickly, Leo had fallen asleep on the floor, and Lilli knew it was time to go. The boys begged Eva to stay, but Lilli promised them that she would visit tomorrow. It was time to make dinner for Viktor, who would be home from work in a couple of hours.

Later that evening Lilli, had discussed the afternoon incident, and they both agreed that Richie needed the firm hand of a father even though he was surrounded by loving aunts and a grandfather. Mr. Walczak was as softhearted as Lavinia.

That’s the trouble! He’s spoiled by everyone, Viktor remarked while eating his dinner. That kid will grow up to be no good, you’ll see.

Eva and Leo were both in bed, sick with the chickenpox. Lilli kept them in the darkened bedroom like the doctor ordered. It was a cold November day, and Lilli had not been out of the house in over a week and worried that they did not have any extra money for Christmas, a month away. Viktor was beginning to spend his hard-earned money on poker games at the little private club that catered to their own nationality. There at the Litus Club, he could talk in his own language and found friends and joined the poker games. Lilli and Viktor argued more and more about his losses. There were days Lilli didn’t know where the money would come from for groceries.

Eva, still sick in her bed, kept thinking about the day her family went to visit some friends who had just purchased a television and everyone was excited to see it. Eva was glued to the tiny screen as she and the others watched a popular circus show at the time, which featured a lovely girl who twirled a baton. The girl with the long platinum blond hair marched in white boots that glittered with a short outfit to match. She led the parade of elephants at the circus, and children everywhere were enchanted with Mary Heartline, who was the star of the show. During the show, a doll was advertised which was her image. Eva fell in love with the Mary Heartline doll and talked of nothing else for weeks to Lilli’s unease. Lilli was saddened by the fact they could not afford that doll. Eva had told Jerry and Ritchie about that circus star and pretended to be Mary Heartline as the three of them imagined they were all in the circus.

Jerry was the lion tamer, and to Richie’s delight, he was the lion growling and jumping around as Eva twirled a small stick, pretending it was a silver baton. She hated her brown hair and wished it had been blond like her baby brother’s hair.

It was on this cold and gray day as Eva colored in her book and heard a loud knock at the front door. A delivery man handed Lilli two packages, one small and one very large.

Viktor…what could this be? Lilli quickly opened the card. Oh my god…it’s from Mr. Walczak…he sent the children Christmas presents!

Viktor tore the brown paper and found a small tricycle for Leo. Lilli gave the small box to Eva and watched her face as she opened it to find the Mary Heartline doll holding a tiny silver baton. Viktor let Leo ride his little bike in his pajamas for a while, and Lilli wiped away the tears as she watched her children delight in the generous gifts of their wonderful neighbors. She quickly grabbed her coat and told Viktor she was running across the street to thank Lavinia’s father for their generous hearts.

Christmas was two weeks away.

The week before Christmas, Viktor had taken Lilli and the children to a Santa Claus party sponsored by one of the local movie theaters. As Eva waited her turn to sit on Santa’s lap, Lilli could not keep Leo still and took him from the long line of children and scolded him, placing him in one of the seats of the theater, where they watched as Eva got closer to Santa.

Viktor stood by the stage and eagerly listened as the little girl told Santa her wish. Viktor smiled as he waited for Eva and led her down the stairs on the side of the stage.

It was Christmas morning when Eva heard her parents in the front room talking quietly. She was still sleepy when she rushed to the front room and was stunned as she watched the little train circling the small family Christmas tree. She stood staring at the train as the whistle blew and real smoke came out of the tiny smoke stack of the engine car. Santa had brought the little choo train that she had wanted. Leo was still sleeping, and she happily enjoyed the train with her father while Lilli prepared the morning meal. Lilli felt happy and melancholy at the same time, surprised that he had granted Eva’s wish, and she suspected Viktor was just as enchanted with the train as Eva. It saddened her heart just then as she thought of the skinny child of poverty working to help his broken family, never having a chance to be a child. Lilli remembered her own childhood—gathering eggs from her aunt’s chicken house, sketching the snow-laden countryside in her notebook, the winter mornings when she could not wait to lace her ice skates and meet her friends by the ice pond to skate all day. The deep snow meant toboggan parties on Saturdays and the joyous times with her school friends. She was twelve or thirteen when she would to refuse to attend Holy Mass because she wanted to skate and poor Teta was shocked and dismayed at such disregard for her Catholic duty and warned her that the Devil would steal Lilli’s soul. She was dragged to church anyway, and she could not wait to race home to change clothes and meet her friends at the skating pond. The same pond that brought such happiness in the summertime swimming with her best friend, Zeta, as they talked about their school crushes. Those simply blissful days of childhood from as lifetime ago, while Viktor was living in a world of hell.

Lilli, what’s the matter? Viktor came into the kitchen and saw tears in her eyes.

Oh, it is nothing…just memories. It’s time to eat, and I hear Leo waking. She turned away and walked to get Leo dressed as Viktor and Eva sat down at the table to eat breakfast. Viktor chattered away to Eva about Santa’s helpers and didn’t want to think about memories.

The long winter days were soon gone, and summertime meant Eva could run and play with Jerry and Richie.

Leo had found a little friend his own age next door, and Lilli was glad to keep a close eye on him and away from those wild boys.

On this particular day, Eva had not seen Jerry or Richie and moped about the front yard. Suddenly, she saw people running out of Aunt Lavinia’s house and heard the sirens of an ambulance coming down the street.

Mama, something happened. She ran in breathless as Viktor dropped his paper and Lilli unplugged her iron, and they both rushed outdoors hearing the sirens.

Viktor stood by the fence with Leo, but Lilli opened the gate and rushed across the street. She reached the sidewalk but stood horrified as neighbors began to crowd near the house and saw Jerry in the stretcher being loaded into the vehicle and Lavinia hysterically sobbing as her brother-in-law, Stash, and sister Ona helped her into the ambulance. Lilli saw Mr. Walczak, who was crying, and tried to comfort him and ask what had happened. He told her that the boys had been playing near the railroad tracks and Jerry tried to jump on the slow-moving train and fell off; his lower leg had caught under the wheel. Richie’s scream had attracted some people nearby, and one man acted quickly using his belt around Jerry’s leg to stop the bleeding as his wife took his anguished little brother home to his family. Stash was just leaving for work when they came up the walk and quickly drove to the site and brought Jerry home and called an ambulance as Ona tried to keep Lavinia from fainting. As the old man related the story, Lilli couldn’t help the tears running down her face as she thought of Lavinia’s nightmare.

The shock of Jerry’s accident was the talk of the surrounding neighborhoods. The railroad company had paid for the hospital expenses, and Jerry would be fitted with a lower prosthesis and a brace. About two weeks later, Mr. Walczak had a stroke and died. At the funeral, Lavinia seemed in shock, unable to cry, as Lilli openly wept for the kindly old man who had treated her children like a grandfather and whose generosity she would never forget. Jerry was still in the hospital, and Eva would not see him for a long time.

During the early part of the fall, Viktor had found a better job at a large auto company, American Motors; he was now able to try and finance a car now that he had a better job. And soon he started to talk to Lilli about finding a larger and nicer flat to live in, and Lilli was delighted.

Chapter Three

A New Neighborhood

Viktor found a much larger flat, and the family moved about a mile away. Lavinia was disappointed to see Lilli and the children leave, but they each promised to visit with each other soon.

The house on Campbell Street was a turn-of-the-century two-family home, and the landlords, Peter and Mary Jonas, lived downstairs. The upper three-bedroom flat still had the old Victorian wallpaper in the living and dining room, and soon Viktor and Lilli worked hard scraping it off and painting the rooms white, the only color Mr. Jonas would allow. Eva was enchanted by the little playhouse in the backyard attached to the front of the old garage that was at the very end of the yard with the large doors that faced the alley. The little house had once been a chicken coop in the early years, but after the Jonas’s daughter, Alice, had married and moved upstairs, the old man turned the coop into a playhouse for his grandchildren. A large cherry tree with a single swing hanging from one of the thick old branches stood near the garage and playhouse. Years later, Alice and her family bought a house down the street from her parents and Mr. Jonas began to rent out the flat.

Campbell street was gracefully shaded by elms, chestnut, and oak trees. And the biggest chestnut tree belonged to Mrs. Morano and was directly across the street from the front porch, which was to become Lilli’s favorite spot and Eva’s as she grew older. It was a culturally mixed working-class neighborhood, with Maltese, Italian, Irish, Polish, Mexican, and Southerners, including a black family at the far end near the railroad tracks. Eva and Leo quickly met Denise and Danny Limpari from across the street. Denise, being two years older than Eva, seemed aloof but polite. But Leo and Danny were the same age and became fast friends. Eva and her family had met the Langeley family first since Alice was the Jonas’s only daughter. Alice and Steven Langeley had three children, Susan, Rita, and Mickey. Alice Langeley impressed Lilli immediately as the sophisticated lady who always dressed beautifully when she visited her parents.

Boy, that Alice, she sure had a beautiful dress on yesterday when I was downstairs visiting with Mary, Lilli sighed wistfully while serving Viktor a plate of his favorite dumplings.

She can afford to dress nice, her parents—I heard this from the old man himself—practically bought that house for her and Steve. Don’t worry about keeping up with her. We’re not like them, Viktor dismissed her as he ate his dinner before leaving for work.ds

Because of the move to a new neighborhood, Eva had to settle into a public school in the middle of the year. She felt shy and strange and missed the holy pictures on the classroom walls, the early morning prayers with Sister and their intriguing clothes, the veils and long rosaries that made a soft swishing sound as they walked. The new teachers seemed nice, but most of all, Eva had not made any friends. One day, while leaving for home, she heard some boy with his friends whispering as they walked behind her.

Hey, Eva…Ramooty, the boy sneered as his friends giggled. "Ramooty, sounds like cooty…yah…cooties! Ha ha…Eva Ramooty has cooties! Where you from…Mars? he kept taunting her. What kind of name is that?"

My name is not Ramooty, it’s Ramutis, Eva almost whispered in fear as she hurried toward the end of the street, hoping they would not follow her.

To her relief, the children had disappeared in the opposite direction. Until that day, she had never felt ashamed of her name.

At St. Hedwig, she had learned to speak and sing in Polish and knew many children with names that were hard to pronounce and different like hers and did not sound American. She thought about Aunt Lavinia and Mr. Walczak, who spoke Polish with her parents, who spoke several languages. Eva was confused and shy and did not want to go back to school the next day. She quickly learned to find a different way home to avoid the mean boy.

The end of school came quickly, and to Eva’s surprise, she would not have to go back to Carey School. She had never told her parents about the name calling. It was for another reason that Viktor and Lilli registered her to Holy Savior Catholic School for the next school year.

What kind of school is this…this Carey School? Viktor’s was annoyed. "The last report card and they tell us she’s passed to the fifth grade. Are they crazy? She needs to be in the fourth grade—not only no discipline but they just move these kids along like cattle. She’s no genius, and her marks are not that great!"

Viktor was livid, and for once, Lilli agreed with him.

Eva was glad she would never have to see that mean boy from her third-grade class again. She would be with the Catholic Sisters and attending Mass at the beautiful church of the Holy Savior school and surrounded by familiar things she knew at St. Hedwig School.

Lilli, just because I have a new job at the auto factory doesn’t mean you can run to Hudson’s department store to keep up with Alice Langeley, Viktor admonished her. And moving to a new place and all the expenses, painting and whatnot…oh, and having to put down the thirty dollars for school tuition has cost too much.

I know…I know. Lilli sat down to eat and thought about Alice and the manner in which she talked about money and things that was not directed at her parents but to impress Lilli. That day Lilli regretted going downstairs to chat with Mary Jonas and realized Alice’s first friendly demeanor hid a cold heart. Well, at least Alice told me about the Santa Wonderland and we can take the children, Lilli said to the delight and excitement of her children.

Time was passing quickly, and the January snow crunched under Eva’s feet as she hurried along with Erin on their way to school. Leo followed behind with his two friends as they all walked the half a mile to school. Very few people had cars in the neighborhood; though Viktor had bought a new car that year, he believed that it was good for the children to walk to school. Erin’s family did not own a car, and she and Eva became walking friends more than anything else. Every school day morning, they would wave to the Langeleys as their car passed them going in the same direction. Rita would wave to Eva, and her little brother would do the same to Leo. Erin would be chattering away about some new movie she had seen, but Eva would be studying the sparkling snow that looked like crystal on sunny mornings.

Eva, are you listening to me? Erin would stop talking, annoyed at Eva’s daydreaming.

Eva had a hard time comprehending English grammar and arithmetic. She just could not memorize her time tables and hid it from her parents, aware of Viktor’s staunch importance of being a smart student. She was paralyzed with fear when it came time to recite her tables as Sister went down the rows. Her friend Cathy Cavendish, sitting across, would whisper the answers, but Sister caught her.

Stop this instant, Cathy, ordered the nun. If Eva doesn’t know her tables, then she will have to stay after school. Sit down, Eva.

Eva, where have you been? You’re an hour late. Lilli proceeded to warm up the cabbage soup.

I had to stay after school because of my time tables. She handed the note from Sister.

Well, what does it say? Lilli’s voice was frustrated at not being able to read English very well although she was learning to speak it with a heavy accent.

Mrs. Baker, two doors down, was a nice neighbor who was teaching Lilli new American dishes, and Lilli was learning English just by being around her.

It says that I have to study my time tables and write them ten times. Eva sat down and looked with dread at the cabbage soup she hated but knew she would have to eat.

Well, eat your soup now. Lilli cut a slice of hardy black Russian rye bread.

Momma, I don’t like this soup. Can’t I just eat the bread with some butter?

No, you know how your father feels about food. You’re lucky to have food to eat, and we will not waste it…it is a sin to waste food. Lilli went into the living room and lit a cigarette and sat down to watch television. Viktor had left for his afternoon shift two hours ago, and it was nice to relax finally, Lilli thought as she puffed smoke into the air.

Eva traced her soup spoon around and around the bowl, just sipping the broth and avoiding the cabbage. She ate the bread and then buttered another piece. Finishing quickly, she took her bowl and flushed the soup down the toilet.

Eva, did you finish your soup? Lilli called from the front room.

Most of it, she quietly lied as she came to sit next to Lilli.

I heard you flush the toilet…I hope that wasn’t the soup. Lilli gave her a stern look but was preoccupied with other things on her mind. You better go and study your arithmetic like Sister said, and you can watch television later.

Where’s Leo? Eva wondered for no particular reason.

Oh, he’s over at Danny’s house across the street.

The cold sleet was whipping across their faces as Eva and Leo began to slowly walk down the front porch steps when Grandpa Jonas stuck his head out of his front door.

You kids go back upstairs, he growled, and Eva suddenly froze on the steps. Get your father to drive you to school. It’s freezing rain and snow…what the hell can he be thinking? Go tell your mama right now, he ordered. At the same time, Lilli came down and stood at the door.

I heard you, Peter, and you’re right…this is awful weather to send them out like this, she said and gathered them up as they all went upstairs.

Wake up, Viktor. She shook him. Even old man Jonas was upset that the children were gonna walk to school in this weather. I’m ashamed that you have a car and you are sleeping in bed while your own children try to walk in this horrible weather. What will people say about us? Lilli was beside herself with angry embarrassment because she respected Peter Jonas like a father.

Okay…okay… Viktor grumbled as he slowly dressed, but they’re still going to school. They will learn that you must do the right thing…bad weather is no excuse to become a dumbbell!

Eva and Leo stood all bundled up and waiting with disappointment as their father reached for his winter coat.

*****

Soon the months went by, and Eva had passed into the fourth grade. The beginning of summer brought the joy of carefree days again. Lilli had bought two canvas folding chairs at the local dime store. The upstairs front porch became her window to the world as the neighbors greeted each other on their way to market and the shops that lined the main street. At the end of their street stood the little chapel where neighbors worshiped, and Alice Langeley and her lovely daughter Susan turned heads at their ever-changing outfits and hats.

Lilli sometimes attended mass with Eva and envied the Langeleys beautiful outfits. But she enjoyed going to St. Anthony’s Church since it was a Lithuanian parish and said in her own language. Viktor never attended but would wait and meet them after mass, and they would all socialize at the small bar across the street, where they would meet with friends like Sonia, Peter, Olga, and Joe. The bar was popular after mass on Sunday, and Viktor could talk politics with many of his countrymen.

Eva, Leo, and Sonia’s Harvey, along with Olga’s Vida and Joey, would happily play at the shuffle board games in the bar or chase each