Chapter 1
Editor's Note: With this issue we are beginning a new
serial story by the author of South African Journeys.
It is a story of returning to roots, an estranged family
coming back to its Jewish sources. We are sure that you will
not want to miss any installments.
*
Fay Barton sat with the Portuguese manual on her lap while
she listened as the sounds came out of the speaker by her
side. For the first time in many years she felt as if she was
doing something useful. For the first time in many years she
felt that she would be sharing decisions with her husband,
instead of being pushed aside to fill in her lonely days as
best she could.
Their early days of marriage had been a true partnership. Fay
thought back to the first day when Eli had taken his new
bride into his father's grocery shop on the East Side of New
York. She thought back to the untidy array of goods, the
counter where bread was piled up haphazardly, and the tired
housewives waiting patiently to be served.
Slowly, patiently, tactfully, Fay had worked to make changes.
Within a year the shop was sparkling. The walls had been
repainted, the shelves lined with bright paper and filled in
an orderly fashion, and the customers were served within
moments of entering the shop.
The result was an increase in trade, the hire of more staff
and within two years the purchase of another store a few
blocks away. Fay had moved to the new store and once again
she had brought about improvements. Since the longed-for
family did not materialize, Fay had continued her work in the
store and, year by year, the number of stores they owned had
increased.
Then, just as she had given up hope, twenty years after she
had married, they were blessed with a fine son. At the same
time her husband Eli had taken over a failing chain of
supermarkets and by the time their son was ready to begin
school the chain was trading successfully and bringing in
enormous profits.
Fay had suggested that now that she had a few mornings free
she could once again be involved in helping Eli in his work.
His answer had hurt her deeply. He had said, "Look, Fay. It
is good of you to offer, but running a chain isn't the same
as running a little corner store. Why don't you look for a
new apartment? We can afford a really good place now. Spend
whatever you like on furnishing it. There is really no need
for you to bother yourself with the business."
Fay wanted to point out that the principle of running a small
store and a supermarket chain were very similar. Customers
wanted pleasant organized surroundings and value for money.
Staff wanted fair wages and appreciation. These were the
improvements she had made to the first store and subsequent
stores. These were the suggestions she had made when the
failing supermarket chain had been bought. The hurt of her
husband's response went so deep that she could not
respond.
Now, looking back, she wondered at how her silence had been
taken for acquiescence. Would her life have been different if
she had stood her ground, argued and been taken into the
firm?
It was pointless to think about such things. First she had
followed his instructions and set about purchasing a new
apartment and furnishing it with great care. Then she had
taken up charity work. She remembered the Spanish immigrants
who had begun to fill her old neighborhood and the problems
they had adapting to a new land. She taught herself Spanish
each morning for some months and then, each morning, set out
to see what help she could offer. The afternoons were spent
with their son.
Life passed by pleasantly enough, but there was a sense of
estrangement as her husband worked longer hours and spoke
less and less to her about his work. Now, at last it seemed,
her husband wanted her involved in the business again. The
new assistant, who had been with them for less than a year,
had suggested that the charity of their choice for the coming
years should be the issue of the environment and the part
played by the vanishing rainforest of the Amazon in the
increase in global warming. Instead of leaving her at home,
as Eli usually did when he went on a business trip, she was
going with him. They were going to travel to Brazil and
actually see the great Amazon rainforest.
Fay was determined to prove herself on this trip. She wanted
to be part of his world of work once again. With the aid of
recordings and notebooks she was determinedly using her
knowledge of Spanish to learn Portuguese as rapidly as she
could. Once they arrived in Brazil she could surprise her
husband with her knowledge.
