LizzieMaine
Bartender
- Messages
- 33,934
- Location
- Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
("Esther!" calls Mr. Ginsburg, standing in the foyer and leaning toward the open apartment door. "The mailbox key! I thought I had -- must be in my coat, the brown one, the brown coat pocket please!" "Hey pop," calls a uniformed young woman descending the stairs from the second floor. "Oh yes," replies Mr. Ginsburg, with a courteous nod. "May I help?" "Yeh," nods the messenger. "I got a telegram heeh f'ra Mrs. Sally -- ah -- Petra-skass? Sump'n like t'at. Anyways, t'ez no answeh." "Oh no," replies Mr. Ginsburg, "She's at woik, a war woikeh she is." "Yeh," shrugs the messenger. "Y'wanna sign fawr it?" "Of course," agrees Mr. Ginsburg, producing his fountain pen and placing his signature in the proffered notebook. He fishes in his pocket for the obligatory quarter, and the messenger hands him the yellow envelope and makes her exit. Mr. Ginsburg examines the envelope, nervously turning it in his fingers. "Esther..." he calls, as the apartment door closes behind him...)
A sixteen-minute speech over the Berlin radio by Adolf Hitler broadcast yesterday to mark the 13th anniversary of his ascent to power was seen as a warning that Germany intends to fight on even after the fall of Berlin, regardless of consequences, for as long as the Nazi regime can control its army and its restless hordes of war workers. Hitler served blunt notice that his government will show no mercy toward any who waver from his policy of resistance to the enemy, and the public execution "for cowardice" of the Mayor of Breslau was believed to be symbolic of bloodbaths to come, perhaps even already underway.
(The voice of Lowell Thomas relating the latest developments on the Eastern front goes unheard in the Krause apartment, as Mr. Ginsburg displays the telegram. "This morning it came," he relates. "Sally was not home, so I accepted. And all day I wonder..." "Never is it good news, a telegram," worries Mrs. Ginsburg. "Never these days." "News of Yussel," continues Mr. Ginsburg. "It must be. Unless you could maybe think of..." "I dunno," exhales Alice. "Maybe sump'n about Mickey, but t'at'd go to t' ol' lady foist, woul'ncha t'ink?" "Yeh," agrees Krause. "Of course, I could not open..." inserts Mr. Ginsburg. "And to give it to her now..." "Only so much can a woman take," sighs Mrs. Ginsburg. "Yesterday with the coal. All her worries, always so afraid, always to carry on, and yet always so afraid..." "Yeh," agree the Krauses. The conversation is interrupted from the kitchen by the whistle of the tea kettle. "Have a cup?" offers Alice. The Ginsburgs nod in acceptance and Alice starts for the kitchen. She halts before the door, and turns to Mr. Ginsburg. "Hey. Misteh G," she hesitates. "Han' me t'at telegram, woul'ja?")
Heavy rail shipments from gutted upstate coal yards only now being cleared of snow promised relief for New York City, but Governor Thomas E. Dewey has declared a statewide emergency as upstate communities face a continuing shortage of fuel. The War Manpower Commission has put out a call for more rail workers to assist in the movement of coal and to relieve jammed rail lines across the state.
("Free cigarettes!" frowns Ma. "And hoo'da THEY rate?" "Oi have noo ideaaar," smirks Uncle Frank.)
(Oh, they'll get their turn.)
(Shocked. SHOCKED.)
(HIT HIM AGAIN!)
(Nothing good ever comes out of a compulsory meeting with the boss.)
(The line between jaunty and tacky is exceedingly fine.)
(I had no idea Don Ameche could be such a sleaze. "You know the type.")
(AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE AND ONE AND ONE HALF HERO DOGS.)
