Mama's Love

It was a beautiful day at Grossingers Catskill resort in the town of Liberty New York . Autumn was in the air as the leaves were starting to turn to different colors as the snow would come soon to change the resort into a silver and white pallet.

A young woman, an immigrant from Russia, got off the bus at the Liberty Station and in broken English asked a gentleman how one would reach the Grossingers Resort. Being a perfect gentleman he drove her to the resort and made sure she walked through the revolving door to find her wat to ask for a job.

She was directed to the appropriate area and asked the woman standing in that area where and who she can ask for a job. "A job in the kitchen "she answered. "What can you do in the kitchen" was her second question. The informal interview became a perfect job offer.

She was known as Moma Ida and she remained at the resort cooking for the crowds for many years. She lived in the staff quarters full time, leaving behind in Brooklyn New York two of her youngest children. When Jenny found out she had left two kids at home, being cared by am older sister she told Moma Ida that she could bring her two youngsters to the resort and stay with her in the staff quarters. The youngsters were welcome to enjoy all the same activities as the guests of the resort.

That was when her youngest daughter Helen and eight years old when she fell in love with John who was a guest of the hotel. Helen spent summers there until she graduated from high school. Helen would look at John and tell her friends how handsome he was. They would all giggle and John never realized those giggles were for him.

All that time spent for many summers that John and Helen played together.

Helen learned to swim and she learned to play tennis. John would always tell her how well she is doing.

What Helen never understood was that John's family, especially his mom. who always frowned when she saw John playing a game or just talking to Helen. Helen never thought of herself as a poor little girl whose father died at an early age and her mom cooked for a living. Helen knew she was pretty and able and enjoyed being with John.

Years passed and Helen was still coming to Grossingers every summer. As she was getting older she was more beautiful. John, who was two years older than Helen, started looking at her differently.

Helen had learned a lot from the many wealthy guests who spent the entire summer at the resort. She admired the women who had perfect hair combs and dressed in beautiful clothing and had lovely jewelry with every outfit they put on. John never mentioned anything about her clothing or her hair. He just liked her because she was fun and she liked him.

His mother was well aware of how they both felt about one another. She even introduced Helen to a friend's son who was at the resort hoping Helen would find the new friend and leave John to meet other young ladies. That never happened.

John was now eighteen years old and Helen was sixteen. She learned how to find good clothing at cheap prices and enjoyed being a part of every day conversations. She was bright and caring hoping that John's mom would let him visit her in the tenement housing where the entire family lived in a small apartment. John's family lived in New Jersey and his mom would not let him drive to Brooklyn where Helen lived. His mom claimed he had to visit different colleges and then he would decide the school of his choice. Helen did not have a phone and John could not call her. He had never asked her for her address. Helen knew then that she would not be accepted into John's wealthy family.

Helen graduated high school and since her family had no money for college she went job hunting. She was hired as a clerk and in her office she met a young man named Bert who was working part time until he save enough money to go to law school. They started seeing each other quite often and they became good friends. Soon they realized they were more than friends and Bert proposed to Helen who accepted his proposal.

They married shortly after and started a family. They were happily married for 35 years when Bert died very suddenly.

Our sisters have never heard our mom speak of a lost love John. Somehow new stories about John stated coming from our mother frequently.

Then something else that was strange happened. A phone call from a stranger called on our house phone and asked if Helen lived at this number. Our sister had answered the phone and handed it to our mom. "Who is this" mom asked ."Oh it's an old friend from the past" came the reply. "What past? What do you mean?" "Well many years ago when I was ten years old and a girl named Helen was eight that girl came to Grossingers every summer because her mother was a cook at the resort. I always liked her but my mom did not like the fact that she came from a poor family and she was not going to college. My mom forbade me to see her but I always think of her as she was wen she was sixteen," "Who am I really speaking to" mom asked the voice on the other end. "Well I can tell you this. I went to college when I was eighteen. I became an engineer and married a woman whom my mother chose for me. My marriage did not work out and I did not have any children. I then heard that Grossingers was no longer a resort. Guess I was thinking back to those days of fun and glory and then I thought of you Helen. Do you remember me?" OMG John is that really you? I never told my husband about you but my kids heard me tell lots of stories about you after Bert died. Where are you living now? This is a shock for me" said mom' "Do you think we can meet some where and reconnect with one another, "I would love that" replied John. "Meeting together should make us feel young and happy. I always loved you and this time I welcome you to my beautiful home and meet my happy, smart and loving family.