Sunday, July 7, 2013

MAGPIE...Prompt #176


                                                  SUPERMOON 2013/ Julio Cortez/ AP


THANK YOU, Tess...at Magpie Tales...


Salute

Today, July 7th, I'm saluting my father.  Who died on this day in 2001.  At the steadfast age of 95.  The beginning of days of reckoning, both national and personal.  2001.

He never knew...that his granddaughter gets cancer.  That the World Trade Center in his beloved New York becomes the apocalypse.  And he, Carl Golden, origin name Koppel Goldendrut, will go to heaven to find his mother.  Again.

Minnie Goldendrut lived and died in the shtetl of Roshkov in the Ukraine when he was ten.  My father was moved from one mean Russian street to the next, relatives just able to provide stale bread, thin soup.

My grandfather, as was done in those old days, abandoned the Czar's army, went to America, to New York, to find the assured streets of gold.  My grandmother, my father and three other sons were left behind.  But all to be sent for...whenever.

At the age of twelve, Koppel, useful to no one, Revolution over, starts the trek of the emigre'.  Money sewn into clothes, gets rowed across the Dnieper by a friend.  Romania and Russia shooting over his head.  Steps foot on Romania.  Let's go. 

A year of wandering, becoming a little man.  Ship departs for America from Trieste, Italy.  Steerage, thin soup, dry bread.  He's Koppel Goldendrut.  Here he comes!

There she is, in the harbor, his mother!  Holding a torch, calling herself Liberty.  "Momma it's me, I'm here.  Don't ever go away again.  I'll find Poppa, and then we'll go home!" 

Poppa seems to own Ellis Island, pushing his boy here and there.  Pulls Koppel's hat off, looks at his scalp..."If you have lice, they'll send you back.  Don't scratch.

" And you have a new name, Carl Golden.  I'm Morris Golden now, just a bootlegger.  Gin, in the bathtub.  You'll see."

Golden?  Familiar name?  Yes, that Golden.  Snapple sound familiar to you?  Streets of Gold, indeed.


Rest In Peace, my loving Dad.


COPYRIGHT/ all rights reserved/ 2013

http://www.minblu.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/lynxny

23 comments:

Brian Miller said...

what an interesting story...and a journey of a family too...so you are kin to the co-founder of snapple? that is pretty cool...

Lyn said...

Hi Brian-
Thanks..yes my cuz worked in my neighborhood, Bronx, ate lunch at our place every day..moved on..zillions...who knew??

izzy said...

Very well written- details like choosing new names! thanks.

Lyn said...

Hi izzy-
Thank you...the names were given out...my Dad was sort of lucky! Makes it hard to find relatives...

Silent Otto said...

What a legacy he left hey ? Im talking to her now , so it was a very worthwhile journey after all.... Someone with a powerful sense of history and art , passing it all on no doubt !

Lyn said...

Hi Kutamun-
What a great thing to say..the talking part! We must pass it on..
thanks so much!

Truedessa said...

I enjoyed the journey of your family. I visited Ellis Island once and you can look up the names of your relatives who came through via that route. They did change names quite often. The Statue of Liberty really is amazing to behold.

Lyn said...

Hi Truedessa-
I did place my parent's names on the Wall at Ellis Is. when it reopened a few years go. Engraved forever! Thanks so much for the visit!

Unknown said...

what an interesting tale of once a new beginning. Regards.

Unknown said...

A wonderful tribute, and a great account!

Lyn said...

Hi himani-
Thank you for your comment...Welcome!

Lyn said...

Hi Jerry E.-
So glad you enjoyed this...thanks!

Tess Kincaid said...

Oh I enjoyed this! What an entertaining tribute to your father...

gautami tripathy said...

This is good writing!!

half a moon

Lyn said...

Hi Tess-
Thank you..this is the only way I could go...given the date!! A gift..

Lyn said...

Hi gautami tripathy-
Who could ask for more? Thanks so much!!

Susan Anderson said...

A fascinating read. Thanks for sharing, and I love the family history.

=)

Lyn said...

Hi Sue--
Guess we all have amazing families! Thanks..

Lyn said...

Hi gautami-
Tried so hard to leave a message on your blog...never gets accepted, sorry...loved your courageous vision!

21 Wits said...

Such a lovely tribute to your father. I wouldn't even want to imagine life without our memories a well.

~T~ said...

What a survivor! I can't imagine going through all that. Thanks for sharing!

Lyn said...

Hi ~T~
To get to America...that was the goal! Thank you...

Lyn said...

Hi Karen S.
Thank you so much..it is amazing what our forefathers went through!

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