Locomotive to the Past, George Schultz [snow like ashes series txt] 📗

“It was,” rasped Susan—tears beginning to trickle (then, course) their way down her cheeks, once more.

“What?” It was both of the dinner guests! In unison!

“That is one of the things… that I’d mentioned,” cautioned Eric. “One of those things… that you really didn’t know!”

“Jeff,” sobbed Susan, “is… well, he’s… he’s dead!”

“He’s what?” It was Valerie. Jason—at that point—couldn’t bring himself to speak! Or anything else!

“He died,” revealed Eric. “About three-and-a-half years ago. Of Infantile Paralysis.”

“Well,” murmured his wife, “they’re calling it Polio, now.”

Jason closed his eyes—and shuddered! From head-to-toe!

Apparently, Jeff had died—in the late-thirties. Our Hero was, patently, aware—of the fact that Jonas Salk’s cure, for the dreaded Polio disease would come to fruition, in 1955! If only the young man could’ve held out—for another 15 or 16 years! That, of course, would’ve been impossible! So sad!

Susan continued: “We keep pretending! Well, I do, anyway. He went to work, this one day… my Jeff did! He, you know, came home early! He was sick! He really hadn’t been feeling too good… for the past two or three days. It was, mostly, over the weekend! On Monday, he got up… and he went to work! That did it! He came home! Early . . . like I said. The next day? The next day… he was dead! I still keep telling myself… trying to convince myself… that he’s still, you know, at work.”

“That’s why she’s kept all his… all his clothes,” explained Eric. “Kept his room… kept it, in the same way, that it had always been! Cleaned it… every week! Probably,” he rasped, “every day! That’s also why she wanted you to wear his work clothes, Jason! She treasured the fact… that she could, then, wash them out! Wash them out… every day! She even kept Jeff’s old lunch box! I hadn’t been aware of that! Not till she’d handed the bucket to you, Jason… for your first day, on the job! That was a bit of a… a bit, of a revelation… to me. It shouldn’t have been. But,” he wiped aside a tear, “it was! A real revelation!”

“I… I’d had no idea,” rasped the younger man. “No idea! None… at all!”

“When you came to us,” the still-grief-stricken father advised, “it took me an awfully long time… a really awfully long time! A damnably long time… to realize that Susie… well, that Susie had found herself another son! Actually… truth to tell… that she’d found her ‘old’ son! Once I’d finally figured that out, I readily agreed… to let her keep you!” He looked, at Jason—and smiled, warmly. “Otherwise,” he continued, “I’d have thrown your butt the hell out!”

Susan seemed to be rallying. “Oh, he’s not as big a meanie… as he’s making himself out to be,” she maintained. “Otherwise… if he was that upset… he never would’ve offered you a job! Not in a million years! Especially… on his jobsite! I don’t care how badly he would’ve needed the manpower! He never would’ve…”

“Oh,” muttered Eric, “I guess that… finally . . . I must’ve kinda taken to him, y’know. Him… and his abandoned-puppy look. But… to be completely honest… it was to please Susie! Initially, anyway!” He arose, and walked over to his wife—and patted her, on her bottom. “I love my wife, you see!” The tears were back. “My beautiful wife! Love her… so very much!”

She turned to him—reached up—and kissed him! Tenderly!

“Oh, you big lug,” she sighed.

In 1942, that line (and the “lug” word) were in constant usage. Not the “high camp” phrase it would become—15 or 20 years, before Our Boy had been born.

TWENTY SEVEN

Monday, April 13, 1942; Jason arose. This was the morning, after the most amazing day—of his entire life! It would be difficult—to identify the “high point”, of that remarkable Sunday. But, it had been “topped off” (more or less) by Our Hero slipping that mind-boggling diamond ring onto Valerie’s finger! To a rousing round of applause—from his host and hostess.

Additionally, Eric had offered the guest couple—once the four of them had (eventually) finished dinner—his two tickets, to the hockey game, to be played that evening. The young man could not bring himself to accept the magnanimous offer. The love that this couple had felt for him—had shown him—since he’d arrived, was unlike anything he’d ever known. Was beyond contemplation! The playoff tickets were simply too much.

This would be the first—of four straight games—that the Toronto Maple Leafs would win, to overcome the Red Wings’ three-games-to-none series lead! They would go on—and win The Stanley Cup! So, while the game would’ve held a minimum of interest to the young man (despite his Get-Rich-Quick investment), Eric’s offer was something that—even on the following morning—had not failed to bring tears, to Jason’s eyes.

Instead of attending the contest, at the glorious Olympia, he and Valerie went to the movies. After the splendiferous—and over-lengthy—repast that Susan had “laid on” them, they certainly were not going to dine out.

Casablanca was playing, at The Great Lakes. Jason had seen the movie—numerous times. Grandpa Piepczyk had possessed a well-worn VHS copy of the classic—which had starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre.

He’d been certain that his bride-to-be would love the flick! And, seemingly, she did! But, she’d spent a whole lot of the movie time—gazing at her new engagement ring! Continually, she’d flick the glorious piece of jewelry—in numerous angles—absorbed in the varying degrees of lighting, from the screen. They’d never failed to reflect—off the massive diamond! Clearly, she was thrilled—with all the day’s happenings! But, eventually, it boiled down—almost exclusively—to her being wrapped up, in her enlarged, engagement ring!

Speaking of the Stanley Cup series, Our Boy found himself wondering whether kindly Mr. Stackhouse would show up at his job, that Monday morning. And, if so, what would this “pillar of the community” have to say?

Probably nothing! There would be three more games, in the series. All to be won by the Maple Leafs. The next two contests