I nod. “Let’s be among the first.”
As the boat connects to the port we are tossed and bumped around. When the boat finally settles, everyone starts or continues to gather their things. We are already heading for the door.
“Good bye to our old world hello to America”, I mumbled as we got off the boat onto landing area.
I ask, “Mommy where is this place? It does not look like America”.
“I think this is where, well it’s where, I don’t… know”.
“Well this is where you will be checked to see if you are healthy or blah, blah, blah,” but it is hard to understand the young man with his hard British accent.
“…….”
“Well keep moving don’t hold the boat up!” We walk inside the gigantic building and there are many, probably over one thousand people.
“I guess we won’t be among the first to step on the land of our new home of America,” I whisper to Mommy.
“But I told Bubi we would meet him at noon,” Mommy panics.
“It’s ok Mommy. We’ll meet him sooner or later.”
“You are right we must keep moving forward.”
“Let’s go Mommy,” I told her in a comforting voice. So, as we keep moving forward we run into a tall, young man probably around the age of 21. He looks like young man I gave my poem book to, Pista Szivos.
“Hello. Do you remember me?” I ask him.
“No. I am sorry. Keep on moving people”.
“I am Elli Friedmann I gave you my poem book,” I told him anxiously.
“… Elli?”
“Yes it is me Elli”.
“Well, isn’t nice to see you again. I still have your poem book, I went to return it but your neighbor said ‘Oh the friedmanns. They are heading over to America’ so I got a job here, hoping to find you to return your book.”
“You kept my book! May I have it back?” I asked nicely.
“Oh yes of course. Here you go”.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you”. As I held it in my hands it brought a piece of the past back to the present.
“You kept a book instead of throwing it into the pile…” Mommy mumbled to me.
“Instead of throwing it in to what, a burning fire pit? This is why I didn’t tell you had too much to worry about without it”.
“Ok you are right”.
“Goodbye Pista and thank you for returning my book”.
“No problem, if you need anything else just tell me”.
“Well… we are meeting my son at noon today. Is there any possible way to get out of here a bit faster?” Mommy asks.
“Well, follow me and stay close and don’t tell anyone and I mean anyone I am doing this. Got it?” he said forcefully.
“Agreed,” I say without thinking.
“Well how dangerous is it?”
“Mommy.”
“Ok agreed”. she said “I hope I don’t regret this,” she mumbled.