Mom Told Me These Stories

By Gloria Miller

When Grandma lived on Broadway, a neighbor told the Jewish Welfare Group about the family's poverty. A rep came to grandma's door and offered help. Grandma said they were fine. However, Aunt Lubah was standing near-by and interrupted saying the children didn't have milk or enough food. Grandma turned and slapped her across the face. [Ouch!] Does it surprise anyone that she was too proud to accept anything from anyone! Rose and Zelda had to clean the house after school. One of Rose's jobs was washing the marble steps -- a well-known feature of old Baltimore rowhouses. She would pay Uncle Earl to do them for her. Rose and Zel were often named in the local newspaper for their high school athletic successes- track & high jumping. Since grandma could not read English (she could read Yiddish) there was no danger of her finding out that they were fibbing to her about why they were late coming home from school. However, when their pictures were in the newspaper, they had to be clever enough to get to that paper before grandma collected it.One of Rose's solutions to another chore of dusting knick-knacks was to "accidentally" kick & break those on the floor.After high school Rose landed a job as a secretary at the Baltimore Sun. She was a whiz at typing! With her salary she paid Grandma 1/2, put 1/4 away to buy material for clothes, and used the remainder for lunch- a cod fish cake, etc. When she saved enough she would purchase material and have a dressmaker sew a dress from pictures - of movie stars, newspaper clippings of the last fashions. Her wardrobe was great, but her health was the pits.When Rose and Hawk moved to Richmond in 1948, they became active in the community. On Saturday nights they would help chaperone the dances for the soldiers held at the old Jeish Center.Rose became very active in Beth El Sisterhood. It was here that she learned the basics of Judaism and began to attend synagogue on a regular basis. She became president of the Sisterhood and went onto leadership in Haddasah and other organizations. Her typing skills came in very handy, She would stay up til 2 - 3 in the morning working and typing. She and Hawk chaired the UJA Drive at one point.Hawk also was active in the synagogue, becoming President. He was an avid promoter of tennis in Richmond, especially at Byrd Park. He was active in the Jewish Center and UJA., chairing the campaign. When Hawk was a young adult tennis tournaments were his passion (and basketball and badminton). He hitchhiked to Kalamazoo for one. He always thought it was so generous of his dad, who had very little, to give him $5 for the trip. (Steve can provide better stories about Dad's tennis.) When Grandma lived at Rose and Hawk's, the last few years of her life, she depended on others to get that great 'ole bubble gum that she always gave to her grandchildren. Joe Schwartz, who was dating Gloria Miller, worked at a pharmacy and would bring her extra large boxes. One evening Joe walked in with a box, followed by Eilene and Sylvia. Joe handed the box to Grandma; Grandma asked Eilene if she wanted a piece and proceeded to throw it to Eilene. You could see Sylvia turn pale! There is an old Jewish bubameisa that you never throw anything at a pregnant woman. Eilene was pregnant with Andy but was not prepared to tell anyone for awhile. There went that secret!A wonderful nurse helped take care of Grandma when she lived at Rose and Hawk's. Elmore was a bundle of fun. And Grandma loved teaching her all her dirty Yiddish jokes. Elmore bought a notebook and would write all the jokes WITH the Yiddish transliteration. Then she'd tell them to her other Jewish patients. After Grandma died, Elmore took care of Minna Becker's mother - for many years. The Becker's thought Elmore's training was super!Rose Miller made the VERY best tuna and macaroni which she served on Monday nights (only)!!! Although this is disputed, Shelly came to our house to live after college and this was his favorite night of the week. That must be why he played his trumpet so beautifully from the balcony- from sheer happiness!! When Shelly went to the Korean War, Rose, Susee, Steve and Gloria would bake cookies and wrap packages for him. We really missed him!! But alas, there was no way to package that great tuna to send all the way to Korea!