Learning: CONVERSATIONS

I’m almost 6! I’m almost 6! And it is Christmas, Chanukah and my birthday time all at once. Mommy calls Freddie who lives in the house next to us, ‘my boyfriend’ and laughs every time she gets me angry. He is seven and a half, has a big Christmas tree in the living room. It almost touches the ceiling. And his Daddy worked all day putting tracks around it for Freddie’s Lionel electric trains. They go round and round, faster and faster. There is a bridge to cross and a house where people would stay while they wait for the train to come in. Freddie lets me watch as long as I don’t touch anything.

 

‘Mommy, Mommy, I want a Christmas tree like Freddie has. Please, please,’ I beg. I cry. ‘Sarah, let’s make this the last time you ask me. The answer is ‘NO. We are Jewish and Freddie is Catholic. He has Christmas. We have Chanukah.’ ‘Can I be a Catholic, Mommy?’ ‘No, you cannot. We believe in our god and Catholics have theirs. Now stop nagging me about so many things.’ ‘Can’t I just have the trains?’ ‘No, you can’t.’  

 

‘Mommy, will you give me some food like potatoes, flour to take to my teacher’s Christmas basket. Miss Wolfe has our basket decorated in red and green crepe paper and it is beautiful. We are going to put a big bow thru the handle when all the food is inside.’ ‘Yes, I can do that, Sarah.’ Mommy goes to the little pantry we have next to the kitchen and brings me 2 packages of crepe paper, one white, one blue. ‘Give this to Miss Wolfe and tell her I said she should make one basket for the Jewish children who are poor.’ ‘I’ll try to remember that, Mommy.’

 

‘Mommy, know what Daddy did for me this morning?’ I ask. He helped me write a letter to Santa Claus. He put it in a white envelope from his office drawer and I wrote Santa on it. Daddy added North Pole, licked a stamp and walked me to the mail box. He put me on his shoulders so I could drop the letter in the box. Then he hugged me. I kissed him on his nose. His moustache tickled me.’

 

‘Mommy, if I can’t have a Christmas tree or trains, can I have a birthday party?’  Mommy has to think about that, talk it over with Daddy. ‘If Daddy says ‘yes’ be sure to invite Freddie. He’s not my boyfriend but is very nice to me. We hardly fight at all. And look, look, what he gave me.’ I show a zigzaggy red Christmas tree ball that has a tiny crack in it. ‘Freddie was going to throw this away but said I could have it. Isn’t this pretty?  Mommy?’ ‘Yes, it’s pretty but may cut your hand. Let me put it on the dining room table for a while. Okay?’

 

‘Know what Freddie is doing before he goes to sleep the night before Christmas?’ ‘ I can guess, Darling. Is he hanging up his socks over the fireplace?’ ‘Mommy, Santa is going to put candy and little presents in there. Freddie’s daddy is going to hang his big socks there too. Can I hang my socks up too?’ ‘No you can’t.  We don’t have a fireplace in our house. Maybe Daddy will put a nail in the living room wall for me so I can get more presents.’
                             
 ‘Child, you are too much for me. Didn’t we celebrate Chanukah last week? You got presents from Grandpa and Grandma, toys from Uncle Harold and Aunt Millie. Daddy and I gave you roller skates and money. We all sang and you spun the dreidle better than any of us and got the biggest piece of strawberry shortcake. And remember how nice it was when you helped me light the candles for eight nights and each time  you got another present?’

 

‘Let’s do this, Sarah. Let’s talk about a birthday party for you. When should we do it? Sunday is no good. Freddie goes to church on Sunday. Saturdays Daddy has office hours. How about after school on Tuesday?’ ‘After school is no fun, Mommy. My friends will want to wear party dresses and will have to go home first.’

 

‘Hah, hah. I got you at last. Schools are closed for ten days. We can pick any day. I vote for Friday because that’s Daddy’s day off. We can do it next Friday. How will that be?’ ‘That is good, Mommy. Will you get me the same pink candy baskets Joanie had? Will Daddy get me a moving picture of Felix the Cat? Linda had Mickey Mouse at her party.’

 

‘Let’s walk to the 5 & 10 cent store to get invitations and you can hand them to your classmates and Freddie tomorrow. Should I buy a wedding ring for you to give Freddie to put on your finger?’

 

I get so angry when Mommy laughs but I catch it and laugh too.