Winners and Losers, book 2, chapter 9

     On the first weekend of October, Jean Back came home from the college she attended, Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, for the Cole High School homecoming.  Saturday afternoon, she visited the Katz-Meyer home.

     Karl was away playing golf, Joe was taking a nap; Miriam was on the front porch, listening to the radio.

     "Hi," Jean said, as she walked up the sidewalk.

     Miriam quickly turned off the radio, and arose to greet Heidi's friend.

     "My baby, how are you!" Miriam cordially said.

     "Fine.  I've missed everyone so much!"

     "L. S. U. seems to be agreeing with you.  You look so good."

     "Doesn't every college kid look different when they return home, Miriam?" Jean replied.

     "Come with me to the kitchen," Miriam said.  "It's time for my afternoon coffee!"

     The two talked and talked, between sips of coffee, about Jean's school life, the latest Cole gossip, and, of course, Heidi.

     "Heidi is so homesick!" Miriam said.  "But Uncle Karl insists she not come home until Thanksgiving! He's determined she stay away from home and get used to life in the big city."

     "Does Heidi call often?" Jean asked.

     "Don't be misled," Miriam replied.  "If Heidi doesn't call, we call her!"

     They both nervously laughed, and talked some more.

     By the time the two of them walked to the front porch, Karl, having returned from his golf game, and Joe, having waked from his nap, were both there.  They all exchanged pleasantries, and Jean departed down the sidewalk.

     As Miriam was walking back to the kitchen, the telephone rang.  She ran to the one in the hall.

     "Hello."

     "This is Heidi."

     "Heidi! Your best friend just walked out of here!"

     "Is Jean home?" Heidi cried.

     "Yes, baby.  She came home for the high school homecoming game," Miriam replied.

     "Why the hell can't I come home?"

     "You know what Uncle Karl says is best for now!"

     "Hell!" Heidi said.  "I want to come home for a weekend!"

     "You've picked up quite a vocabulary in New Orleans!" Miriam said.

     "Damn right," Heidi said.  "I want to come home for a weekend!"

     "I'll think about it," Miriam said.

     "Why is it always Uncle Karl making the decisions? Doesn't Daddy have any say in the matter?"

     "We must respect those with money," Miriam calmly replied.

     "I miss all of you so much," Heidi said.

     "I'll discuss this with Uncle Karl--and your dad--tonight," Miriam said.

     "Please do! I miss all of you so much!"

     At the dinner table that night, an air of tension prevailed.  Things on the farm weren't going well, Karl's golf score for the day was bad, and Miriam's left knee was hurting.  Nevertheless, she could not forget her daughter's plea.

     "I hate to mention this," she began, as they all lit cigarettes and poured coffee, "but I talked to Heidi on the phone this afternoon."

     "Here we go again," Joe said.

     "Shut up, Joe," Miriam said.  She then turned to Karl.  "Heidi wants to come home before Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is almost two months off."

     "I don't know," Karl said.

     The telephone rang.

     Miriam, as usual, answered.

     "Miriam," Lu said, "I'm having a few friends over later for drinks.  Nothing big.  I meant to call you sooner, but I didn't have the time.  Would the three of you like to come over?"

     "Oh, I don't really know, Lu."

     "Don't say that," Lu said.  Come on over and have a few drinks!"

     "I don't know," Miriam replied.  "Heidi might call.  I need an answering service."

     Miriam paused.  She looked toward Karl and Joe who, at the same time, said, "No!"

     "Well," Miriam said, "you might be missing Karl and Joe, but I'll come over a little while."

     "Wonderful!" Lu said.  "You'll be the life of the party!"

     "I'll be right over."

     After Miriam hung up, she walked to her room.  Opening the closet, she changed into a summer, sleeveless, purple dress, and adjusted the belt.  She then slipped on some shoes, and brushed through her ageless, black hair.  She threw a pack of cigarettes into her purse, checked her face again, and went back to the kitchen.

     "Before I go, Karl, tell me whether or not you approve of Heidi coming home before Thanksgiving.  I can't be worrying about this all night."

     "She can't come home before Thanksgiving, Miriam!" Karl replied.

     The party was in full swing as Miriam entered Lu's house.

     "Good evening, Miss Miriam," Anna said.  "Everyone is on the back patio!"

     "Hello," Miriam said, spreading her usual charm, as she made her entrance onto the patio.

     During the course of the evening, Lu tried to encourage Miriam about Heidi's situation in New Orleans.

     "Don't worry about it, dear," Lu said.  "Remember, you and I both have relatives there! By now, I would think that Heidi has made some friends.  Isn't she in a sorority?"

     "I suppose, Miriam replied.  "It'll sure be nice to see her at Thanksgiving."

Winners and Losers, book 2, chapter 8

     The rest of the summer passed without event.

     By September, it was general knowledge that Heidi and Rick had "called it quits." Few people knew why, and Heidi was so humiliated by the entire affair that she had apologized not only to her mother, Miriam, but to he father, Joe, and her uncle, Karl, as well.  People were tactful enough to keep their mouths shut about it, at least when around the Katz-Meyer family.

     This particular Monday Karl, Joe, and a crying Miriam were to drive Heidi to the bus station to catch the bus for college.  Heidi was enrolled at Sophie Newcombe, the female division of Tulane University, in New Orleans, where Miriam had briefly attended years earlier.

     "Shut up, Miriam," Karl had said, the night before.  "This isn't the end of the world!!"

     "My baby is leaving me!" Miriam,smoke drifting from her mouth, replied.  "It seems like only yesterday she and Jean and all the rest of them were running up and down this street!"

     "I wonder how many dogs Heidi had," Joe chuckled.  "I lost count long ago."

     "Don't bring up the subject of dogs!" Karl said.  "You know how Miriam and Heidi got emotionally attached to those pets!"

     "They were just babies!" Miriam said, revealing her love for animals as well as for children.  "We could never keep them for long because of these damn downtown streets! Every time a puppy would accidentally get lose, somebody would run over him!"

     The three, with sadness over Heidi's upcoming departure to college, recollected the last eighteen years.  The dogs.  Birthday parties.  Lu's kindness.  Swimming pools.  Heidi's first date.  Above all, the love life of Heidi.  The three hoped sincerely that Heidi would fall in love with a nice Jewish boy from New Orleans.

     The silence was broken by the arrival of Janet and Harry.

     "Good evening," Miriam said.

     "What time does Heidi's bus leave in the morning?" Harry asked.

     "I'll say seven," Karl replied.  "That way, when it really leaves by eight, the ladies will be there on time!"

     "Well," Janet said.  "Speaking of the bus station, have you heard the fellow who runs it wants to buy the temple?"

     "What?" a shocked Karl replied.

     "That's right!" Janet said.  "What's his name?"

     "Buddy something," Harry said.

     "Buddy Treacher!" Karl said.  "I think he's related to you know who!"

     "Well," Miriam said.  "This should speed up our plans to restore the place!"

     "I hope we can afford it!" Joe said.

     A pregnant pause followed.  Miriam, a gleam in her eye, calmly looked around the room.

     "Yep," Joe said, locking eyes with Miriam.  "I think we'll get to work on that project real soon! Nobody's going to buy our house of worship unless they're serious about keeping it up, and all Buddy would do is tear it down to expand his car wash!"

     "Well," Harry said, "that's a relief to us all!


     "Can I get you a drink?" Miriam asked everyone.

     "No thanks," Janet replied.  "I know y'all have to get up early.  Where's Heidi?"

     "Right here, Janet," Heidi replied, proceeding down the staircase.

     "Give me a big hug, honey, " Janet said.  "I don't know what you're majoring in, but I can tell you that college was one of the happiest times of my life! You behave in New Orleans, now!"

     "After all my misbehaving there," Miriam said, "I think she'll do okay!"

     Everyone laughed.