IMAGE:  (untitled) Max and Jenny seated on folding chairs

[26]

Images:  Photomontage, 14 images, surrounding the text

NARRATOR: The decade from 1943 to 1953 marks the time in which the five sons of Max and Jennie left home and began their adult lives. The two eldest, Herbert and Benjamin, both graduated from CCNY with degrees in chemistry before the war. Herb married Norma in 1944 and enlisted in the Army in 1945. Upon the end of his military service he moved to Schenectady. Ben enlisted in the Navy and was a lieutenant on a battleship during the war. He married Florence in 1946 and, taking advantage of the G.I. bill, he obtained a mortgage on a house in Levittown, Long Island. Saul was in active combat duty during the war. He married Toby in 1950, also settling for awhile in Levittown. Paul, who was of an age where he did not serve in either WWII or Korea, graduated from CCNY with a degree in business administration. He moved into an apartment in New York City in the mid-1950's. George went to Cooper Union for graphic design, and was drafted into the Marines in 1951. He was discharged in 1953 when he married Francine. They moved in 1957 to Merrick, a south-shore suburb of Long Island, becoming one of the last veterans to receive a mortgage under the G.I. bill.

NARRATOR: The first grandchild, Gale, was born in 1945 to Herb and Norma. The last grandchild, Gary, was born in 1966 to Saul and Evelyn, his second wife. There were eight grandchildren born in between. Max and Jennie, meanwhile, continuously moved from apartment to apartment within Brooklyn from 1932 to 1960, when they moved to Yellowstone Boulevard in Queens.

NARRATOR: During the three-year period covered by this chapter the members of the Leavitt family were quite physically separated from one another. When Max and Jennie moved to a condominium in Florida in 1965, Paul was working in Germany. Ben and Florence were still on Long Island, as were George and Fran, but Herb and Norma had moved to California, and Saul and Evelyn were living in Max and Jennie's Queens apartment. In order that the members of the family could remain in contact with one another, each brother and Max bought small identical tape recorders. Very often tapes, as well as letters, would be circulated among the boys so that everyone could keep abreast of the news. The following chapter was derived from ten such pieces of correspondence:

8/65-Fran to Paul (screenplay)

8/65-Max and Jennie to George and Fran

9/65-George to Max and Jennie

10/65-Paul to Ben

3/67-Max and Jennie to Paul

4/67-Saul to Paul

5/67-George and Fran to Paul

1/68-George and Fran to Max and Jennie

3/68-Saul to Paul

8/68-George and Fran to Max and Jennie

[27]

[28]

COMM: Paul to Ben 10/65

PAUL: I fully appreciate the situation between Mom and Pop as you described it to me, and as Saul later did in his tape. It actually is an old situation – they've sort of knocked each other around with these arguments for a good number of, years now. What makes them more acute now is that in contrast to before, when there were a few other things like family, etc., to diversify some of their time, they now have no other interests –this should not be, of course– but each other, and these differences of opinion, and/or faults in each other, are greatly magnified through being isolated against a background of nothing else but each other, and the words become sharper. And of course, the old frustrations are still there – even in the beautiful surroundings. And without the sponge of children, grandchildren etc., to sop up some of the frustrations, they build up and then they take it out on each other. Theoretically, and ideally, their new surroundings should to a great degree provide the needed diversification and the new interests, and maybe, as you say in one of your letters, the low point has been reached and a turnabout is in the process of taking place.

PAUL: You mentioned that in your last letter from them and also in your last phone 28 conversation with them, they sounded good, strong, etc. My last phone talk with them was the same – so with the last letter I received from them – I was very encouraged. I haven't heard from them in almost three weeks now. I take that as a good sign – that they are so taken up with their surroundings that they have no time to write, nor the great urge to bemoan their plight on paper –as some of Pop's early letters did.

IMAGE: untitled (couple, woman in print dress)

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/69

MAX: In the meantime your mother is putting in a chicken in the stove, it has to be watched. I have a certain dress, that I have to make it shorter, lake apart and make it shorter, and different pleats, adjusting to do. It seems to me between the two tapes and the dress, will just about make the day.

Anyway the day is a cloudy day. Some of the northern breezes reached Florida and the last two days we have it cool. You wanna know what means cool, means 74, 75. And believe it or not, while in New York 75 you would be already warm, over here it's just about make it. And if there is such a thing as blood-thinning, I think me and Mama already graduated. We cannot take anything less than 75. So staying home, close the windows, we're busy with the two tapes, busy with Mama's dress, and we're baking a chicken. So this is more or less a report…

COMM: Paul to Ben 10/65

PAUL: They, and we, should also realize that they each have certain traits which at their age will never change and they should stop trying to change each other. Mom always was a "house" woman and there's no trying to change her now. Pop should try and suggest from time to time, but not insist to the point of argument. At least Mom is in a good climate now and if she does not go out as much as the other women –so what– maybe in time she'll catch on – But if she's feeling better and comparatively good –witness her strudel-making urge– then we have already accomplished much– and just let her run her daily life as it pleases her.

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

JENNIE: Well, me again. Paul, Pop finished and gives me a chance. And I'm only a little bit too happy, not a little bit. I don't have to tell you how happy I am when he gives me a chance to talk to you. And being that I don't see you, at least, when I talk I feel that I'm near you. And I feel your breathing. And it makes me very happy sweetheart. You know what it means to me. So I wanna ask you doll, write often which, I don't have to remind you on it, you are very good, you're doing a job. And you are very happy with it. The other children also thanks God write quite often to us, and that keeps it up, it keeps it going, this is life, for us it's absolutely life. Because we're far away from each other from us, and when we get a letter, it's just like, you learn things, and you feel things, like here you're talking person – ally to one another, so keep up sweet-heart what you've been doing, and do it all the time. And I hope to God, summer is nearing up, and we'll go to New York, as Papa said to you, and I hope we should be able to get together and to spend a little more time as we did up to now.

JENNIE: Yes Paul,... we don't have to make ourselves think, and worry, and all that. I'm very happy with all our time, what it was, what happened with us up to now. And we couldn't ask for anything more. Naturally, the thing that we are far from the children, it bothers, it bothers a lot. But knowing that thanks god each and every one is in good health, and we hear often from all of you, that's a good thing.

So be all well, a healthy, and we expect to hear from you very soon, write us all the good news, what's doing with you. How everybody's health is, and what you're doing with yourself, going out, see each other very often, like you told me in the last tape. We are very happy that you do so. All my love to all of you, lots of kisses for everyone, until you'll come and I'll give you all the regular kisses. And try to... take you around and give you a squeeze to my heart. That'll feel good.

Photo: Max and Jennie 1966

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

MAX: I wanna clarify more about the activities that on the other tape I put on a little pessimistic tone, which at times, it takes a hold of you, on account of, as I told you we are dealing with elderly people, but, like everything, we get accustomed, so if one friend or two are not to be had, so you make new friends. And so we made new friends. We had a friend here that lives mostly retirement in Peekskill, New York, and while we were at that time, remember you were there too, to see the boys in Peekskill Declaration Day, we went to visit this man. And this man is now here, and has a wife, and a car, and from time to time we go out together, we go out to eat together... We also have friends from Baltimore, who's a nice fellow, is happy to take us when we need. So, as far as this is concerned, we are helping ourselves, we are not helpless.

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COMM: Paul to Ben 10/65

PAUL: You know, we can analyze each and every point quite clearly and understandably, but of course at the heart of it all is emotion; and their emotional disappointments – you know them alland here again they are all quite understandable when viewed from their European background. I've seen families living here in exactly the way mom and pop want their family to live – so I can understand where their desires come from – but of course, our world, our U.S. culture is quite different – and hence the trouble starts with all its ramifications – like a pebble dropped in a pond, and then the ensuing ringswith them, the most outer ring is the arguments they are having with each other. I hope that the last few weeks are an indication of the situation getting better.

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

MAX: But of course, the reason, the main reason, what annoys and bothers us, is, we are away from the children! The grandchildren come and spend the holidays with the grandparents, we are getting jealous! It's only natural. I hope our children will grow up to the extent that they'll understand it, what we are missing. For instance Ben and Florence were here, they were here nine days, and all that they were here with us was only Friday night for supper. No, that's not enough, that's not enough. Herbie was here for four days and he once was with us for two days. This I can understand, actually we had 50% attendance from Herbie. But don't take me wrong, we don't impose on the children, they gotta go their way and let them make success, and we'll enjoy their success – believe me you know that we will enjoy their success, even at the price that we have to be lonely. There's no sense of going through in, make a statement that we did good, that we get an apartment, or isn't good; it's done, and cannot be amended, and we're trying, believe me we're trying to make the best. And not to bother the children, try to be good.

COMM: George and Fran to Paul 5/67

GEORGE: Things are okay in Florida. You've been in closer touch I think in the last couple months than we have in New York. Just a call, an occasional telephone call every few weeks has been all we have really been able to manage. Not rightly so, as a matter of fact we will try to get a tape off to them tonite too, and fill them in on a lot of details. But things seem to be going along pretty well.

COMM: Paul to Ben 10/65

PAUL: On pop's side, he was always a worrier about money for as long as we can all remember – and for good cause – after all, he had quite the responsibility of caring for the well being and education of five children, plus himself and mom and on an average salary much less than what we earn today –even making allowance for comparative costs of living. As a family man with children you know better than I do what Pop's worries were through the years. So his concern for finances has become a part of his nature which just can't be discarded overnight just because we now tell him he's got nothing to worry about!

IMAGE: Paul in London, 1966

PAUL:  His pride also comes into play and he obviously wants to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible. He already, in a thinly disguised form, is already accepting help, and no doubt wants to remain independent as far as daily running living expenses go, and be able to give a present once in a while. Now mom should understand this, and not harp on it. I wouldn't call him stingy – just thrifty – as he tries to bebecause this is how he has had to be all his life – how can he change now? If we understand this too, then maybe on occasion we can talk to mom and get her to see this as well.

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

MAX: Hello again Paul! Mama... she went into the kitchen and put up some pots. And while she's busy fussing around in the kitchen I'll continue. Now we talked about your activities, you gave me a nice report on your activities, for now and for later. Now what bothers me and mama. What are your plans? Do you plan to stay with them for additional time? Or you're doing your job, why are you doing it, with the intention of coming back to the United States? I'm not trying to make up your mind for you, I'm sure that you have your mind set, and my telling you wouldn't help anyway. It's like you play a game and you don't wanna stop in the middle, and you don't know when to stop...

JENNY: You can not tell him anything...

MAX: I'm not trying to tell you what to do, you yourself, you try to tell us what's your aspirations, and what you intend to do, and you do your best!

SCREENPLAY: "Max and Jennie Moving to Florida" 8/65

MAX: Jennie, please, why are you taking down all these schmaters? Let's not take all this junk and load up the apartment down there.

JENNIE: Please, Max, don't tell me what to take. They are not schmaters. I am positively taking only what I need. (Fran  –to herself– and that means everything).

MAX: Jennie, why are you taking down this vicker [wicker] magazine basket? We don't need it.

JENNIE: Please, Max, I want it. Besides, Georgie brought it back for us from Cape Cod.

(Georgie and Fran brought it back seven years ago.)

MAX: Okay Jennie, take it, but please don't take the magazines that are in it. (They compromise, the five year old magazines stay behind, the basket goes.)

SAUL: Ma, why are you schlepping this ironing board? You will need it when you are in New York. But another one down there.

MAX: Jennie, he is right.

JENNIE: Okay, we will buy another one but I'm positively taking the toaster. (All agree).

COMM: Max to George and Fran 8/65

MAX: About us. As you know, when we spoke on the phone we had a pretty busy week here at the recreation center. They called out first the birthdays, and mom was among them. And the whole audience sang Happy Birthday. Then they called the first one anniversary, a fifty-five anniversary. Then a fifty, then a forty-eight-us-then all the way down the line. And we danced the

[30]

anniversary waltz, and when we came home it was eleven, twelve New York time. We were waiting for a call from New York. I couldn't wait any longer, and jumped the gun, and called you. It was a typical Leavitt feast, grabbing the telephone from each other's hand.

SCREENPLAY: END-FRAGMENT

COMM: George to Max and Jennie 9/65

GEORGE: Now, to you. From your letters, folks, and from talking to you on the phone last week, things seem to be going well. We here are really pleased that you are taking advantage of all that is offered you there, and making it count. It sounded like your anniversary party was one helluva good time, and believe me we here all joined with you in enjoying it. Just knowing that you both were enjoying yourselves was enough for us. As far as the details about getting the apartment really furnished to your satisfaction, is a minor one, and as far as I can see a healthy one. That to me is a healthy problem. As long as you are able to go, and do, and shop, and buy, and exchange, then you're doing okay. Why settle for less, when you know what you want. This is your apartment, and you should fix it up the way you want it so that you can be happy there, as I know you are going to be. So keep it up, and keep up the letters too. I'm still waiting for a letter  from you mom, in English, in exchange for my Jewish one. So how about it, huh?

COMM: Max to Paul 3/67

MAX: Even with all the protest that from time to time comes up, we are still happy satisfied here. Happy I can't say, because as I told you, happiness takes in a broad way, and we have plenty to be thankful. After we saw what's going on in the world, we have to be alert, and we have to give each other courage, and that's what we are doing. And if sometimes I feel a note of pessimism, it's only natural. Don't take it as a... a state of mind, always. The weathers were very good compared to last yearit was very good. From time to time we have here a cold spell, and it goes over, so we can help ourselves. So Paul, be the best, you and all the children be the best. And we are placed in a nice place, with nice people, but you gotta expect the picture changing, like I mentioned you. Some people got sick, some people sell, the overall picture is changing. But up to now we manage to keep up the morale –

JENNIE: And our health is fine and alright.

MAX: – and the face of the place; there are some people they wanted to degrade the place, save on the lights, save on the water, save on this, save on that. Fortunately we have people that want this place to look decent and perfect

JENNIE: – and presentable.

MAX: – and presentable, and that's what it is. Of course expenses will be more next year, some things will start to deteriorate, painting and so on…

COMM: George and Fran to Max and Jennie 1/68

GEORGE: That's about it! You have been hearing, like Fran said, you have been hearing from everybody, you're like the central office, information office, like the CIA – Central Information [sic] Agency. Everybody writes to you, but we have not been hearing anything from Paul, we haven't been hearing much from California. They are also not writing anymore. Their tape recorder is broken, and every once in awhile a letter! And of course I saw Herb for lunch last time he was in...

IMAGE: Max, Jennie, George, Lisa and Eric 4/68

COMM: Max to Paul 3/67

MAX: So you're dealing with elderly people you gotta expect those things. So the activities is slowed down a little bit. I gained weight, mama gained weight, I try to lose weight, I'm half-successful. And we are trying the best to be in good shape, because we wanna stay around for a long, long time, and bother you, I mean you children. So on this basis I try to get Debbie and Lisa here and I failed... and I tried to go even as far and invited personally Francine to come. I figure that after the months of trial that she had with her mother she was entitled to a vacation. I also knew that as far as money is concerned they are always, they've always been behind and are behind now too. As a matter of fact Georgie wrote outright that they are tied up with money, that they are fixing the house, with furniture, so I think Francine is gonna turn it down too. So if Mohammed doesn't come to the ... or vice versa. So we gotta stay alone and watch other people coming going, grandchildren are coming going, and we have to wait [for] something to change radically... to all those that other people have. But we are not complaining, we'll get there in time.

COMM: George and Fran to Max and Jennie 1/68

FRAN: Everything has been very very busy, very very hectic as usual. Ben must have told you that we are still continuing with the house and our weekends are chock full of shopping, shopping, and more shopping. As a matter of fact we made a little headway with the kitchen, we have finished redoing our cabinets... So you can see it's been pretty busy. School, after school... and guitar lessons... chores, washing and know it's very difficult when you are not occupied every second of the time to wonder why people are occupied. But that is about the size of it. George too has been busy, his place has gotten rather busy now. You know with him it's no season, they are either very very busy all the time or it slows down a bit…

SCREENPLAY: CONTINUED

JENNIE: Sher-up a minute. I'm thinking. I think I packed in mostly everything. We still have the clothes.

FRAN: (Aside to herself) I better see if the kitchen sink has been unhitched.

SAUL: Well, it seems we have everything except the clothes. Okay mom, get dressed, we are all going out to dinner.

JENNIE: (Aghast, disturbed, turning whiter than Milk Glass) Nothing doing, you are not going to do that to me again. I have cheese, sour cream and a few pieces of chicken in the refrigrator.

FRAN: Again!!! Are you serious? In all thirteen years I've been in this family, never, never once have we all come to Jennie's house that we went down like Menchen and had dinner. Never, never. What do you mean, we can't do that to you again. (stamping of feet!)

SAUL: Get dressed, Ma, because I don't know what everyone else is doing but I and the boys are going down for something to eat.

BEN: Flo and I are going down to eat something.

HERB: Norma and I are joining you.

GEORGIE: Fran and I will go down to the boulevard with you.

FRAN: There's a lovely restaurant called The Turnpike right on Queen's Boulevard that has everything you want. Fish, Dairy, Meat, Deli, etc., etc.

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(All in unison: Okay! Lets get something to eat.  We are all starved!)

MAX: Jennie, please, ti zich un. Throw on a cladel. We all worked so hard, why make more work, we'll go out and eat. Okay, but I don't like it. What will I do with the food, throw it out?

FRAN: Invite the relatives tomorrow; they'll help you clean it out.

SCREENPLAY: END-FRAGMENT

George and Fran to Max and Jennie 8/68

FRAN: ... Now I guess you want to hear our comments, at least my comments, on the visiting aspect. And there's no doubt in my mind, pop, that it's a wonderful thing if we could all pay frequent visits. I mean it's just good to see each other and to keep in contact. We also realize your packing problem and everything, but I know that I don't have to explain to you because you very thoughtfully and thoroughly thought yourselves that it is difficult because of time and money elements. Those are the

IMAGE: Max, Jennie, Ben and Linda 1966

two main factors, of course. I don't like to speak for anyone because everyone has his own little package, as you say, they all have their own little problems. Then again, as I said, you can still come here, whether we're working, whether what, always you can pick yourselves up and come here. The room, the making the room isn't so gerferlach, so we're put out for a little bit, it really isn't that terrible. It may seem a lot of trouble but it really isn't. So if you make a frequent trip here and stay a few days, it really isn't so terrible, we all like it just as much. In fact surprisingly enough, it is easier for you to come here to us than for us to go to you, because don't forget we also have all the packing and getting out. But we'll try to do the best we can. And don't forget there are always future simchas and future occasions that we can look forward to. So you have my comment on that...

COMM: Paul to Ben 10/65

PAUL: I don't think we'll ever achievce the zenith of ideal bliss, because after all, they are only human, have lived with each other for almost fifty years now, and the problems of life are real. So maybe they can now become realistic as well and enjoy their lives within the framework of what the realistic possibilities really are – that is – nothing is ever or can be perfect, but there is as much that is good and there is so much to be thankful for. I don't have to list them all for you now – we've gone through them before – I've also gone through them with mom and pop – their health, their children's health, grandchildren, etc., etc. Maybe some of it is beginning to take.

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

MAX: So you see every family is a world by itself, and it's hard to know which world is more complete. At times me and mama are very happy that the result, the fruits, and at times sometimes you see a different set-up. But as a whole we can look back with pride and we can hope for, should hope for long life together with everybody. So that ends our tapes and I hope you will be satisfied. So long, and good luck.

SCREENPLAY: CONTINUED

SAUL: Okay, now let's get the clothes into the trailer. I have a bar that goes from one end to another and we can just take them out of the closet and hang them right on the bar in the trailer. There is plenty of room.

JENNIE: Now, wait a minute. Wouldn't it be better to pack them in suitcases. (Jennie has a reputation for making the terribly simple into the most difficult situation.) What if they get dirty?

IMAGE: Marlen Gardens 1965

BEN: They wouldn't get dirty, we can throw sheets right over the clothes. This is the very best way to do it.

SAUL: Of course this is the best way. Let's get the clothes out.

JENNIE: But I don't know which clothes to take.

NORMA: Take everything. You will be there for many months and probably will need most everything except for your very heavy clothing, heavy coats and so on.

ALL: Yes, yes, take everything, it will be much simpler.

(So with the exception of extremely heavy outerwear, most of Max and Jennie's clothes are removed from the closet and put into the trailer.)

JENNIE: What if someone breaks into the trailer?

SAUL: Don't worry mom, it has a very, very, heavy lock and all thru the trip, the trailer will be with us and at night, very close to us when we stop at the motels.

(Jennie still looks like a Doubting Thomas but under the circumstances, there is nothing she can do. All agree to finish packing that night so Saul can get started right away at seven o'clock in the morning when he wants to.)

SCREENPLAY: END-FRAGMENT

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

JENNIE: Hello Paul. Now it is my turn. Papa did his job, and he left the rest to me. It's a pleasure to me to talk to you, I wish I could see your face when I am talking to you. It would be much easier and more interesting. But we can't help, thank's God for that, that we can talk to each other every once in awhile. We would like a little more, but we take in the meantime as much as we can have. And enjoy it. And be thankful to God for that. Now Paul. Now Paul, let us have a little tape from you, and tell us all about yourself. First thing, how do you feel. How's things there, and you don't work hard. Just tell us everything about you being that you are so far away, that we can't see each other, and talk things over, so do it from there, and we'll be very happy when we'll read your tape, and know what you're doing, and how your health is. So, it will be very good to us, and we'll be very happy about it. So do so my son. And we'll try to reciprocate, to do the same thing for you. And there are the children. We have nothing to complain, God forbid, our children are wonderful. We are getting quite often, if it's a letter, or a tape, they don't neglect us, thanks God.

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SCREENPLAY: CONTINUED

(Mom is in the kitchen packing up the food stuff in a box.)

JENNIE: Fran, here is a little jar of split peas and stuff for soup that you can use.

FRAN: I don't make soup, ma.

JENNI: You mean you never make soup? The kids don't eat soup?

FRAN: Sure they eat soup. I open up a delicious can of Campbell's soup.

JENNIE: Okay, here take the jar of split peas.

FRAN (Taking the jar and thinking to herself) I'll take the peas. When I go to my mother in the country, I'll give her the jar with the split peas so she should make soup.

(All of a sudden there is a scream from the kitchen. Saul comes running out with a carton in his hand containing food stuffs.) s: What's the matter with you Ma? You're not taking down to Florida 1/4 lb. sugar, 1/2 jar vanilla, 2 oz. salt and 1/3 jar honey etc., etc., etc. You'll buy everything down there nice and fresh.

JENNIE: But, but, Solenu, it's a naverra. What can I do with the food? It will spoil up here.

SAUL: No it won't. And if it does, you will 32 throw it out. (Jennie turns ashen white at this thought.)

(Saul feels bad and they reach a compromise. The food that might spoil they take. Other boxes and jars that can stay remains in the closet.)

SCREENPLAY: END-FRAGMENT

Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

MAX: Now, let's go to that debate. There is a debate, something everybody knows and nobody talks about it. And if you boys feel that you wanna make it as a surprise, you can still make it a surprise. With the mere fact, of course, you cannot surprise. We, me and mama, we feel it. We were waiting for this for fifty years. And we can brag about that we, we made a success! Needless to reaffirm again and again that we love each other more than when we got married, although we fight like sometimes like dog and cat...

JENNIE: Dog and cat? Or cat and dog? (laughter)

MAX: ... Cat and dog. But we are fighting for the purpose of being happy. I wanna make mama happy and she wants to make me happy. So it couldn't be a total secret. But as far as the details are concerned, if you boys, you wanna make it a secret, about the details, you still can have it, if that's what gives you more excitement and more pleasure.

COMM: Saul to Paul 4/67

SAUL: Undoubtedly Fran, or Ben have already brought you up to date insofar as the September 3 fiftieth wedding anniversary affair is concerned, and I am just assuming that so I'm not going to go into any further detail at this time. We are now planning to have a summit conference insofar as a perusal and evaluation of the guest list is concerned. It is really the funniest thing, we got three lists put together already. One is the "definite" list, the second list is the "probable" list, and the third is the "possible" list. So we are going to have to go through them all and see who gets put onto where. We want to try, if possible, to keep ourselves under a hundred people total, if possible. We don't know until we go over the list. We haven't heard from pop insofar as who, which of his individual friends, his close friends that he's worked with that he would like to have at his affair. All in all it looks like a pretty nice set-up, it's a lovely place, the band has already been hired and I am looking forward to a real good time; I think we all are.

IMAGE: Max greeting his sister, Bluma 8/68

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

MAX: As far as we are concerned, we are dreamers, me and mama are dreamers. If you know we are trying to go to Argentina and on account of various things, like mama's troubles, we realize that on account of the poor conditions of the plumbing, what you call, it would be not wise to go there for a month or so. So it would be a better idea if my sister and my brother-in-law would come to the United States. And they were negotiating, they were writing back and forth, but nothing came out of it. I even offered to Rosie two hundred dollars, to shtippen them what you call, for my sister and her husband to come here. And I dreamt, maybe on account of our fiftieth, maybe if they could work it out, they should come for the end of the summer, and really have a reunion.

But it's only a dream, I don't know what you could do about it. I offered to Rosie, and let them take it from here on. But nobody can stop me of dreaming, because sooner or later, if she doesn't come here, we will go there, and take the chance. So it's another item that we can dream about, or talk about.

COMM: George and Fran to Max and Jennie 1/68

GEORGE: Oh, by the way, how do you like the pictures, and your little album? You didn't say anything in your last letter. Why don't you give us a little, on this tape as a matter of fact, put it right

IMAGE: Francine at party for Bluma 8/68

on the machine and tape back and let us have your reactions to the way the pictures look, and so on. I thought they looked terrific and I like the way the album is set up too...

COMM: George and Fran to Max and Jennie 8/68

FRAN: Speaking about parties, I just have a few comments to make to your comments about the little affair we had here. And I just want to reiterate what I tried to explain to you here when you were talking about chipping in. I guess that I might say that I'm a little selfish or a little bit snobbish, or whatever you want to call it, but believe me, pop, as much as you enjoyed it and the fact that Georgie and I made this affair, it really was my pleasure, and I can't really emphasize this... I like to show off my home, and I like to entertain, I really

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do. It really is truly my pleasure... I'm a very proud person and I like to show off our home. So in entertaining your family, Joe and Rose, and Herschel and your sister, and Selma and everybody, it really was our pleasure. I was very proud and very pleased to do it. So don't take all the credit that I did it for your sake, I really didn't! And you know me, I always speak the truth! And what I did, I did not only for your sake, more than anything, I did it for my sake... So if anything like that would come up again, we'd do it again... So that's my comment on that.

Of course we saw your sister as we said before they left and we wished her a pleasant journey and so on, and who knows what will be, maybe she'll take a return journey back. Life holds a lot of surprises and you never know who could come up next. The thing is to hope and to plan, and I know you do, and things just have a way of happening.

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

MAX: As far as our activities are concerned, I don't have to tell you, they fell down a lot. Because, mama cannot dance, and with mama, without mama, I'm not going to bother with it. That's the attitude from me, and the attitude from other people. So as a result the dancing don't come anymore, and therefore, we cut it out! So, other things, the results are the same thing. I'm not trying to put everything on mama's shoulders. I myself was never a big out-of-door man and believe it or not, I'm in fact very busy during the day. And during the evening, we [see] movies Monday, bingo Wednesday, show on Sunday, and we try to add evenings also. But if you know, you're dealing with old people, and nothing's stable, nothing stays in one place.

So for instance... we're good friends with Bobby and Ziggy, and what happens? Ziggy goes away for six weeks to Chicago, comes back and has been ailing ever since. Mama can't sit outside because as soon as it gets dark it gets cool... she has to go upstairs... As a result, I also go upstairs. Same thing with Rose, Barney's wife, add a little wet, a little dampness, she starts coughing, she goes upstairs. So, you see, nothing is stationary. For instance, last week, Mrs. Gelfand was in the hospital for one week. Esther Spital was in the hospital for one week…

SCREENPLAY: CONTINUED

There was one very touching scene that got even me, Francela, at the very end of the evening. We are saying our goodbyes to everyone. Joe and Rose are also. leaving. I saw Joe go over and shake hands with Pop and kiss him. When Joe turned around there were great big tears in his eyes and it touched me terribly. I could never stand to see a man cry and these were so genuine. I realized how lonely he must feel and how terrible that your father, who is actually his only other relative (besides his children) in New York, will be going away for such long stretches at a time. Certainly there will be many months elapsing between trips that your folks make back to New York. Anyhow I felt sorry for Joe and hope that circumstances are such with him that he will be able to make a trip now and then during the winter to see your folks. Certainly once they are there, your folks would be delighted to have them stay at their house. Anyhow, it was a touching scene and of course your mother started to vane a bissel /24/

SCREENPLAY: END-FRAGMENT

IMAGE: Max and Jennie at airport, 1965

COMM:  Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

MAX: I'm sorry to put in a sour note about mama's health, but it's a fact, a fact we have to deal with that. There's no sense writing away, like the boy that writes away, they speak and they send, and he doesn't see nothing, thinking that nothing exists. But mama's [hand] is not getting better. And it's not a thing that you can play around with, but as long as we have doctors, and as long as we have a little medicare, although the medicare is in a way a little disappointing, so we'll have to do something about it.

Besides her other troubles, which maybe there is a cure, maybe not... Otherwise she looks like a million dollars, and since you inquired about the jacket, so I can add that the jacket makes her look like two million dollars.

So I don't have to tell you that your mother, in addition to her born beauty, when dressed up nicely, she made a hit among all the women. If she would only feel as good as she looks, we'd have nothing to worry about. So that's how much we can talk about this here business.

SCREENPLAY: CONTINUED

Title of Act – Getting Jennie and Max to the Airport.

Time: Wed. July 6.

Fran and George, Lisa and Eric (dem 4 meshugenah characters) again go to pick up Max and Jennie at their apartment to take them to the airport Their plane leaves at three o'clock. George took the whole day off. Fran and George arrive at the house. Jennie is still packing.)

FRAN: For God's sake Ma. What are you packing? Saul left with the trailer Sunday!

JENNIE: Just a few things I didn't want to put in the trailer. Some things I forgot to.

(Fran notices four more bundles. Two suitcases, one very large hatbox –weighing a ton– and a large fancy Florida basket which carried medicines and weighed two tons.

The hat box and the basket I will keep with me.

FRAN: You better weigh it in, ma. The plane will go lopsided.

JENNIE: I got all my jewelry and my papers and bankbooks in the hatbox and I want it with me.

FRAN Ma, you should have gotten on the plane today with just your pocketbook. Where did you dig up four more packages? Your good jewelry and your papers and your bankbooks belong in your purse but why this big box that weighs a ton?

JENNIE: Well, I put the whole jewelry case in it. That makes it heavy.

GEORGE: Ma, what's these two bags doing in the kitchen?

JENNIE: Oh, that's some stuff from the refrigerator that was a navarra to throw out. You kids take it home with you.

FRAN: It's one thirty, the plane leaves at three o'clock. Let's get going.

(Ten minutes later: all are in the car heading for the airport)

CHECK-IN-MAN: Lady, what do you have in the basket?

JENNIE: Oh, just some medicines and some food.

CHECK-IN MAN: That's nice (smiling). Are you planning on passing it out to the passengers on the plane?

MAX: Well we are all checked in and it is two fifteen. Now we have to sit and wait.

JENNIE: If you let me have twenty more minutes in the house, I could have done some more packing.

/24/ Cry a little

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MAX: Jennie, I must tell you. You did some marvelous job. You were wonderful. No one could have done such a good job as you. (Turning to Fran and George) You should have seen Mama today. The handle from the basket broke, but she took two shopping bags and pieced together a new handle. Only Jennie could have done it.

SCREENPLAY: END-FRAGMENT

COMM: George and Fran to Paul 5/67

GEORGE: Mom has something doing now, however with a neurologist she went to see who, I'm sure pop told you about it in his letter, has ordered her into a traction rigging at night. I don't know how it has been working out because when I talked to pop last week they had just gotten the gimmick and it was hooked up onto the bed, but they haven't started to use it yet. I hope it does some good. I hope there's some relief, because you know it's just another step along the way and you knowsearching for relief and then again who's to say that you know people

IMAGE:  Jennie and George 10/67

shouldn't do that? You can't say yes, you can't say no, this is just the way it is. They sounded okay when I spoke to them on the phone. Pop was a little bit, just a wee bit discouraged, because they had gotten that apparatus in the house and they didn't seem to know how to work it. But they were going to get someone in the next day to check them out on it. So I hope it's been working now.

COMM: Max and Jennie to Paul 3/67

JENNIE: Forgive me if I make a mistake. In my mind, I think, things we used to do, like write letters. But now, you know the talking is a little different. I like it much better, you know, than just to write a letter.

MAX: No more monster?

JENNIE: No, no more monster. Did you hear papa? "No more monster?" He's making fun of me. Well let him make it, for. another hundred and twenty years. I'll accept it.

JENNIE: Paul, first thing I want is my health. My health is good, I have nothing to complain. Wherever papa expresses to you a little about it, you know, it's me! And if I will feel bad and if I would, you know, too much aches and pains, I would talk about it. But you talk about somebody else, not long how real these feelings are, so it's a little bit out of place. So don't worry about me. I'm not, God forbid a sick person. I'm far from it. I feel much better than I ever felt before. Of course every once in awhile

IMAGE: Max and Jennie, ca. 1918

you have a little bit of discomfort. But you have to allow for that. We're not anymore twenty years old. And you know, we're getting older, and things change, so adjust ourselves to those things. Especially now, we are away from all of you children, we have just the two of us. I have papa, papa has me. It should last long years, nothing better.

COMM:  Saul to Paul 3/68

SAUL: Got a letter from mom and pop just the other day, I don't know if you are aware of the fact that Uncle Morris bought an apartment down there. I don't know any of the full details yet, but it's just about fifteen minutes away from mom and pop by car. The building is not completed yet, and they are spending a bit more money, but what the details are as of yet I just don't know. I do know this, pop said that it has made mom a new woman, a new girl as he puts it, to have her brother around. They spent this winter down  there, Morris and Clara… This is a real shot in the arm for mom to have her brother there, you know that as well as I do.  And that in itself is pretty good news.

COMM: George and Fran to Max and Jennie 8/68

I'm sure, pop that things will pick up down there. I guess that season where everybody has their different places to go, from where they came from, in other words, back to their families for a short time here and there. But it won't be too long-number one they will be starting to drift back, but at the same time you will be making your own little plans. To go to California, which should juice up the routine a little bit for you, the activities, and put a little more excitement and something to look forward to, some added excitement. It's not that far away, you know. Let's see, its almost the end of August, six weeks away and you'll be on your way to California and by the time you get back from California I think the complexion of Marlen Gardens will have changed

IMAGE: Jennie, Morris, and Gary 6/68

back to its winter routine and there will be more activities going on and so on. Also, Morris will be down there by then... and that should add hopefully, I'm sure it will, add some new impetus and new excitement into your daily lives. So things are looking up pop, and I think you look at it that way and it doesn't seem so bleak...

SCREENPLAY:  continued

MAX: Well, Saully called up last night from Orlando, Florida. He will arrive in Miami today and will be able to pick us up. We spoke to Barney and he opened the electricity. They filled up our refrigerator. Such wonderful people.

NARRATOR: (Pop is greatly elated to think that things could have gone on so well. Everything was on schedule, with Saul arriving in Florida ready to meet them. He expresses it.)

MAX: This has been a very, very happy week

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for me. To see Jennie be able to do all the packing without any attacks. To see everything go off on schedule. It really is wonderful. And to know that everything is waiting so nicely for us in Florida with a full frigerdaire.

(Precisely at three o'clock the plane takes off. The usual good-byes and promises to write are said and Ben takes pictures with his new Instamatic Camera)  (Just as Max is about to board the plane, he leans over to Fran and says, "You are the apple of my heart. And that's nisht gephumphet."

NARRATOR: (Fran thinks to herself – Okay, Max, but I still won't show you my letters to Paul or read his to you.)

Fin – Finis –The End

Or rather... shall we say...

"The Beginning for Max and Jennie."

COMM:  George and Fran to Max and Jennie  8/68

GEORGE: ... I'm delighted over the fact, mom, that you have been using the pool, and believe me it's really terrific, because I imagine it gets pretty hot down there, especially around this time, and you must enjoy it very much. You know what you oughta do, mom, is now that you are using the pool more often, and it's so delightful, and the sauna bath, why don't you spend more time out in the sun, like up on the deck. All you have to do is get some of that stuff to put on your nose so it doesn't get too red, that's all, so you'll get a little color…

SCREENPLAY: CONTINUED

P.S. After the airport, George, Fran, Lisa and Eric go to Coney Island to enjoy some of the rides and sights and eat dinner at Nathans. Boy-oh-boy, you cannot beat those franks or french fries. They get home about ten o'clock and look into the Care Package that Jennie prepared for them from her refrigerator. They found 1 onion, 1/3 lemon –already squeezed once– 1 1/2 tomatoes, 4 cookies (chocolate chip), 1 can soup, peas, 1 jar jelly, 1/3 bottle Crisco, 1/2 jar tomato juice, and 1/2 oz. cottage cheese, butter and cream. The last three items were dumped because they were in a hot car all day and smelled. I beg you, reader, don't tell this to Jennie, it would break her heart.

IMAGE: Fiftieth wedding anniversary 9/67 (~21 people on folding chairs)

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IMAGE: untitled (older woman with glasses on chaise lounge)

Dear Jennie:

A gezunt in dein keppel-"A health on your head." This sentiment was expressed to me every time I saw you. I loved you for those words then, although I wasn't sure why. You taught me to repeat them, my pronounciation improving as I grew. I knew it was some sort of a blessing, but had no sense of what it meant until years later. As one of your youngest grandchildren, I only knew you for twelve years before you died. My conception of who you were was until very recently based on child-hood's remembrances of family gatherings; Chanukkah presents and seders. I always did adore your name; somewhere in my child's mind there grew a dream that I would name my far-off daughter after you; the fantasy still exists.

What else did I know about you? Not much, I suppose. A regular Jewish grandma, just like everybody else's. Your culinary specialties of strudel and boiled chicken were unique perhaps only in their constant household existence. I remember that you always spoke in Yiddish to your children, broken but intelligent English to us.

I'd heard the story of how you taught me to walk one weekend, when mom and dad went away-as a matter of fact there are films taken soon after that momentous occasion. But of course that child in the images was aware of quite different sorts of phenomena than am I.

It was really only when you were sick that my twelve-year old mind began to understand some basics about life, and yet at the same time have cause to become confused. Although you were in the hospital for so many months, I never saw you there; I couldn't at all understand the nature of your illness. Remember when we visited you and grandpa in Florida that Easter? I couldn't figure out why you wanted to feed us two breakfasts. Or why you couldn't remember where we lived when we said goodbye. You didn't want us to go; so you blocked any knowledge of our separate lives in New York. I felt a strangeness wash over me as we left for the airport, caused by a dawning awareness that you were in another world. Perhaps it was a world populated by permanent dreams; images of your family always being together. But when I listened to the conversations of the adults, and the words forgetfulness and confusion were constantly being applied to you, I still couldn't understand, but I was saddened.

I cried when you died because that's what one is supposed to do. I sensed that daddy had been crying so I went upstairs where he wouldn't see me. It was very upsetting to see him cry, my Rock of Gibralter father.

I didn't know why you died, but nor did I quite know what death meant, especially to the living. I didn't go to the funeral, and it was only at the unveiling of the tombstone a year later that something was completed for me. It was about accepting your death, but I still couldn't account for the sense of loss I felt.

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IMAGE: untitled, side close-up of man wearing kippah