Living in America
The next morning the married couple heard their children almost before the sun came up.
"Sounds like we won't have any private time this morning."
"They're happy darling; we should be grateful. Let me get dressed and take them downstairs while you shower and shave."
"Okay, but not without a kiss."
"I'll never refuse a kiss."
One kiss became three and the couple realized they had to stop. Maria did dress. She opened the door rather quickly and surprised the children.
"We're you trying to wake us?"
No one answered; they got the giggles.
"Then I suppose this was a group decision. Well, you got your wish. Come with me, your father will be down shortly."
Downstairs Brigitta asked. "When are you going to enroll us in school?"
"Are all of you anxious to go to school?"
Friedrich answered. "I know I am. I want to learn all about their science classes."
And Gretl surprised her. "And I want to learn how to read and speak English."
"I see; those are both worthy reasons. Remember, school doesn't start for another week."
"Mother."
"Yes, Liesl."
"All of us are going to need more clothes."
"Then we'll need to go shopping."
Neither knew that after breakfast, Katia and Isabel would tell them they needed to visit the grocery store. And they didn't know everyone, even Father Wasner, would go with them.
So, after breakfast, this group of fourteen left the house; Franz led them there. Georg and Maria were last behind Marta and Gretl.
Maria commented. "I wonder what the people in those cars passing us must be thinking. I'm sure it's not every day they see this many people walking on the sidewalk."
"I have no idea. Although I have noticed they slow down and look our way."
The group had kept a good pace and now had the store in their sight. Katia exclaimed.
"This is so big. I hope we can find what we need."
"Maybe they have a map of what's on each aisle."
"Let's hope they do, Isabel."
Franz stopped before entering; Gretl and Marta had slowed Georg and Maria's pace. They needed to catch up to the others. Now Georg had a warning.
"I don't want you to get lost inside; please stay together."
They entered the store cautiously. No one knew what to expect. What they saw were the cash registers where they paid for their food. Their entrance hadn't gone unnoticed. A gentleman with a smile approached them.
"Good morning everyone, I'm Henri Mueller. Are you the family living in the Drinker's old house?"
Georg answered him. "We were never given a name. Was he a lover of music?"
"That was him. Does your group like music?"
"Very much, sir. My housekeeper and cook need a few things."
Henri saw Katia and Isabel standing in front of the group. He spoke directly to them.
"Ladies, all the aisles have signs overhead telling you which items are there. To enter the shopping area you use the aisle on either side of the check-out lanes. Please follow me."
Both Katia and Isabel were right behind Henri; the others were following them. Henri had led them to an aisle which had items which needed to be kept cool, like cheese and butter. He also told them.
"The store doesn't sell milk. The dairy delivers it to your door. Before you leave I will give you their telephone number."
"America has so many surprises."
"Many others have told me the same thing." Henri told them as they walked toward the rear of the store.
Here was the meat department and close by were fruits, and produce like broccoli, carrots, heads of cabbage and lettuce, potatoes labeled for cooking and others were for baking. They were told these items were grown locally.
Henri continued his tour; they saw the bakery for not only bread but sweets of all kinds. And down other aisles were dry cereals with unfamiliar names like Post Toasties and Corn Flakes along with one thing Katia needed which was oatmeal. She was making a mental note of others things she wanted to buy.
Other aisles were filled with foods in cans. Isabel remarked the moment she saw soup in a can.
"Does this mean cooks no longer make their own soup?"
Harold answered her. "No Isabel, my wife still makes her own vegetable soup. She does buy Campbell's tomato soup. She always makes it with milk; it's rich and creamy. I love to put crushed crackers in mine. She sometimes fries bacon extra crisp so it breaks into small pieces easily and adds them to it."
Kurt stated. "All this food is making me hungry."
"Katia, maybe we should buy some soup and crackers so we can fix lunch as soon as we get home."
And Henri told them. "I'm sure you need other things too. I'll leave you now to do your shopping. When you finish just proceed to the front of the store and get in one of the check-out lanes."
And Max added. "I'll go get us a cart."
With Max pushing the cart, the group added a few things not on Katia's list. When they checked out the cashier told them.
"You may take the cart home but please bring it with you the next time you come here."
So drivers on the street now saw this group following Max who was pushing the grocery cart with paper bags full of groceries. All the others were commenting on the grocery store as they walked home.
When they arrived home, each man in the group had a bag of groceries to carry to the kitchen. Katia and Isabel put everything away before they fixed the tomato soup and a salad with two kinds of lettuce. Two platters of crackers disappeared as each person took a few to crush for their bowl of soup. And the bottle of ready-made salad dressing was almost empty.
Kurt commented. "I like this soup."
"You didn't need to tell us. We heard you ask for another serving."
"I'm growing, Louisa. I'm going to be eleven soon."
"I'm already a grown-up and I liked it too." Max commented and it brought a roar of laughter. He continued.
"Now I want to look in the piano bench. I'm sure I will find sheet music."
"Max, you must have read my mind. I'll look too after I help dry the dishes."
"Mother, Louisa and I can dry the dishes."
"Okay, Max let's go see what surprises we may find."
Father Wasner was nearby. He was wondering if they would find any church music. Everyone else sat and waited to hear what they discovered.
Max raised the seat on the bench. "Ah, just as I thought; it's full of sheet music, Maria."
"I see it is. That first one has the words Negro Spiritual on it."
"Do you or Father Wasner know that genre of music?'
Father answered Maria. "I know you have read about slaves in the Bible. They're mentioned in Genesis after Abraham has led them to the land God gave them. He instructed all men to be circumcised including their male slaves. As mankind flourished it continued the use of slaves.
"Here in America most of the slaves came from Africa where people with very dark black skin lived. The word negro means black in both Spanish and Portuguese; it became the word to use when referring to them.
"I'm sure the children will learn about the terrible war which was fought in America, known as the Civil War. There's always been a dispute over why it was fought. Some say it was over States Rights, not to be ruled by the federal government, others say it was over the right to keep slaves. By this time several northern colonies had ceased using them.
"It doesn't matter the reason, it was still bad. It pitted families against each other. The black slaves wanted to be free. Their search for freedom was told in the words of many songs, like this one. Some other time I'll explain its secret meaning; now I'll sing it for you."
Everyone heard Father Wasner sing this song with a simple melody which began with these words. Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.
By the time he started to sing the next verse, most were humming the tune. And when he finished, Maria asked him to play it again and a third time. By now everyone had it memorized.
Max commented. "I bet there are other spirituals here. I'm sure many are just as easy to learn. Maybe sometime there will be an opportunity to sing them."
"Father, do you think we could sing for people sometime?"
"I do Liesl. I won't prohibit it. I told your mother the same when Mike told us how well you sang. He suggested you might sing for military men. I'm going to broaden that to any appropriate singing venue."
Maria and Georg heard the chatter of the children; they were very pleased. And Max's smile couldn't have been broader. And Georg's statement about Max being totally immersed in American music very soon after we are settled was about to come true.