More Stories from Gloria
/By Gloria Miller
Uncle Earl lived at Rose and Hawk's home on Wythe Avenue after Shelly left. When he decided to marry Aunt Leslie, he brought her to Richmond to meet the family. They arrived after Susee, Steve and Gloria were asleep. So the next morning, the 3 little ones were bursting with curiosity to meet his "fair lady". They crept up the hall to Shelly's old room and slowly opened the door. As Aunt Leslie motioned to them to climb in bed with her, they bounded into her arms. And thus began a very special family affair.
When Rhona Peck moved to Richmond to attend RPI, Rose and the kids helped her move into her apartment.
Gloria, Susee and Steve loved to travel to the other end of the block to visit Aunt Libby and Uncle Paul. Family is one thing, but Uncle Paul's monkey- which he brought back from the war (in Australia?), was THE attraction.
Rose and Hawk's was a veritable hotel for the many Baltimore friends who were traveling salesmen. Often their wives would stay and visit when the men headed further south. Some went on to Portsmouth to stay at Zel and Nat's. Frequent visitors were Shorty and Jack Shocket, Alex Keiles, Mully Stein, Al Dryer. (Aunt Shorty's visits meant the best pancakes in the South were waiting for us for breakfast!) At other times the ole Baltimore gang would gather for parties in Richmond: great Halloween masquerades in Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Mae's basement, Lakeside parties, many family simchas, even jaunts to Suburban Club in Portsmouth- loads of fun and more aunts and uncles!! Toby & Ates Rosenberg, Siggy & Ruth Holtzman, Lee & Babe Askin, Hilda & George Sugarman, Gertie & Al Blankman, Bobbie and Elsie Harrison, and Mindel and Herbie Harrison. Grandma Beber's sister, Aunt Sophie, used to visit at Rose and Hawk's . She would make fabulous taiglach. Her daughter Faigey would visit now and then. She tragically died of a brain tumor at a young (adult) age. Sophie's other daughter, Dotsie, was married to Herbie and has twin boys: Barry and Benji.
As Rose and Hawk & Zel and Nat lived in one house in Baltimore, Ellen Meyer Joseph, the elder, and Gloria Miller Schwartz were toddlers with 4 parents. It seems that Ellen was afraid of strangers. However, Gloria had no trouble approaching people, especially tripping Ellen as she learned to walk. Dr. Block, their pediatrician, advised Zel to send Ellen to nursery school. Now, one was not going without the other. The first day they were picked up for school, Ellen got calmly into the car while Gloria became so hysterical she "threw up" all over the car.