Memories of Childhood

COY and MORE

 

My name is Sadie
And when I grow up to be a lady,
I'm going to have a baby,
If I can, and I think I can.
My name is Sam
And when I grow up to be a man,
I'm going to help Sadie with her plan,
If I can, and I think I can.
I couldn't wait to recite my new poem to Mama. I memorized it easily and new it was perfect. Mama's name was Sadie and I was sure she'd love it--but she didn't. She gave Daddy a poke and a strange look. She and Daddy had that same look when I asked them a question at our noon meal. The boys at recess wanted an answer and I didn't have one for them. They asked me if I wanted to screw and I asked Mama what that meant. Another poke..another look. Suppose the boys ask me again. What would I do with a screw without a screwdriver? Let them ask Roz. Daddy tried to make Mama stop jabbing him but she wouldn't.

 

Rainy days were good for tracing and coloring. Lying on the parlor floor, I was being very careful to outline Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty when Daddy decided to help me. He colored the background and the prince's pants but he was uncomfortable on the floor. 'Come, sit on my lap and we'll finish the picture,' he suggested. We did but it wasn't a very good job. Next time I would do it myself. Besides, he ruined the cover, using it to draw little squiggly things with tails that go inside the eggs in the mama.

 

Daddy didn't explain how a big stork could put them there or how they got out because Mama called us for supper and I guess Daddy's lap was tired.
Torso, torso, what's a torso? If I look in the sewer will I find one? Black headlines screamed the story. When Daddy told me what it was I was so scared. Where was the rest of the lady? Every day the police asked the same questions. They found her arms. They found her legs, but not her head. I knew where it might be. From my perch on the 2nd floor window sill, I could see our four corners and all of them had sewers. Every person who walked by was a possible murderer. All carried packages were suspect. A shopping bag, a  perfect thing to carry a head, yet I saw no blood on the outside. Maybe it was wrapped in newspaper like Mama's fish. What happens if it rains? Will her head drown? Daddy told me to go out to play. Mama thought I was sick. I sat. I watched. If Robert's ball hit a step pointer and went down the sewer, he would have to go get it. He'd find the grisly thing for sure and it would serve him right.
When early fall darkness came, I gave up Orphan Annie to continue my vigil. Three days, three nights, I watched dogs make on the apples in front of Cooks and I saw Florence find something on the pavement and put it in her pocket. I saw Mrs. Hank squirt her gutter and saw the dirt stop at our house, but I didn't spot the missing head. The police did.
They also found the man who killed Uncle Rob's mother and father. Daddy's 'What!!??' into the phone was answered by someone on the other end, screaming and screaming, but I couldn't understand a word. When the receiver was replaced, Daddy flew up the stairs, two at a time, down the long linoleumed hallway, calling, 'Sadie, Sadie !' If he thought he could run faster than I could, he was wrong. I found Mama under her covers before he did. How terrible ! How awful ! Daddy and Mama couldn't believe such a thing. Yet it was true. My Uncle Rob's parents were murdered.

 

Mrs. Blacher, his mom, was making schmaltz in the little kitchen behind their shoe store. It  was bubbling on the stove for Shabous. Mr. Blacher was in the store hoping for a customer to come in when she heard a noise from the store, a loud noise. Dropping her apron on the kitchen table she came out of her kitchen to investigate and found her husband lying on the floor, blood pouring out of his body. She surely screamed but wasn't heard.  She was next.

 

What happened to the schmaltz?