Lena is not convinced

Lena is not convinced, so Mrs. Brody

continues. “And suppose I do cough a little . . . nu . . . so babies cough too.

The milk and honey I get nowadays helps a lot, danken Gott. And believe me,

every minute you spend in the country will be like a year of joy for me. Who

can tell . . . you may meet your mazel there. If mazel doesn’t show up one

time, with God’s help it comes the next. My mother, may she rest in peace,

always used to say, ‘Good luck is a teaser.’ ”

“Mamma dear,” Lena pleads, ‘‘I will borrow

a few dollars and we will both go. Yes mother, both of us, and we will have a

good time.”

“Oh, no, daughter dear! Borrow money for

pleasure? Your mother doesn’t go to the country on other people’s money. I am

not a society lady, I am not, danken

Gott, one of those who order packages

shipped out from the grocery every week and return to the city after the

vacation is over to find that the grocery man is bankrupt because, the

pleasurnikes did not pay for what they ate and drank and entertained company.”

Lena says, feeling sure that her mother will agree

“Then I have another plan,” Lena says,

feeling sure that her mother will agree. “My boss allows me a week vacation. So

I’ll stay in the country for three days, and you go out there for the remaining

four.”

“With God there remains yet many days.

Another time, not now,” replies Mrs. Brody hastily, running to the kitchen, for

she feels her cough commencing to choke her again.

Holidays

to Bulgaria shouldn’t be missed. Trust me, plan your Bulgarian holiday,

pack your luggage, get your cameras and good mood and let Bulgaria show its

beauty to you.

The daughter has little choice. The open

fields, the clean water of the country draw her like a powerful magnet. But she

knows that she will not enjoy it if her mother is not there to share it.

Last summer, in the country, she made the

acquaint-ance of a new friend. She saw him quite often after that until he

passed out of her life. Perhaps this year she will meet him again.

Is it possible she did not encourage him

enough? Is it because she always spoke of her responsibility to her mother?

Perhaps this year she will meet him again. . . .

That same afternoon Lena kisses her mother

goodbye, and before Lena has entered the train for the trip to the country her

mother is already breathing easier. . . . She returns home highly contented.

For now she may cough freely. . . .