WHERE IS MY FATHER?
“An Englishman, training in the U S during WW 11,
Fathers a child but only finds out many years later.”
By Mae Ondracek ©11/15/2002
Every day, at noon, the same man entered Joe’s Café and sat on the end stool at the counter. He was a good
looking, middle-aged man but his face was always filled with sad furrowed lines.
Jake has studied the man’s face from where he sat at a table by the window. Finally curiosity got the better of Jake and one day he sat on a stool near the elderly man. “Good morning, sir, my name is Jake. How are you today?”
“Good morning, Harry is my name.”
“I’m sorry to intrude, Harry, but you look so sad. I hope your wife isn’t ill.”
“No, I don’t have a wife. I came from England a month ago to look for a lady I left here in ’42.” Harry said. “I don’t know where to look.”
“Did you try the telephone directory?” Jake asked.
“I did, but nothing looked familiar. You see, I don’t remember her last name. Well, I better get back to work. Thanks for listening to me.” Harry said as he stood up to leave.
“Think nothing of it. You can talk to me anytime.”
Every noon, Jake would sit beside Harry and talk with him. For some reason, he really was attracted to this man and enjoyed learning about England and Harry’s life there.
This time when Jake sat down next to Harry, he asked, “Did you make any headway on finding that woman?”
“No, but I still keep hoping. We had such a wonderful month together when I was here in ’42, I thought it would be great seeing her again.” Harry reminisced.
“That’s to bad, Harry. Didn’t she want to go back to England with you?”
“She couldn’t. She was taking care of her invalid mother. But I never forgot her in all these 40 years.”
Jake slapped his leg as he said, “I just thought of something. I’ll bet my mother could help find that woman or at least tell you if she left town or died.”
“That would be nice, but I cannot see how she could do that.”
“She’s been the librarian for a good many years and has access to all those records,” Jake was shaking with excitement at the thought of helping his new friend. “What was the ladies first name, Harry?”
Harry laughed, “She and I always laughed about that, Carrie and Harry. That was a pretty name and she was so pretty.”
Jake looked shocked but said nothing as the two men went back to their respective offices.
That evening when Jake got home, he asked, “Mom, how come you never remarried?”
She said, “Jake, you’ve asked me that question hundreds of times and each time I tell you the same thing. I just never found the right man after your father died,” and she turned away.
Jake took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. “Mom, over the past several weeks, I’ve had lunch with a man from the Accounting Department and he has told me a fantastic story. This might sound familiar to you: He is 5’ 7” tall and about 60 years old, very handsome with snow-white hair. He came to America in ’42, from England, and had an affair with a beautiful woman named Carrie.”
Carrie sucked in her breath as Jake continued, “He never married because he couldn’t find anyone to measure up to her, so he came back here to find out what happened to her. Mom, his name is---“ and together they said, “Harry.”
“I’m sorry, Jake, I never wanted you to find out. Yes, we were together a lot of the time while he was here and he wanted me to go back to England with him, but your grandmother was very sick and I couldn’t leave her.”
Carrie fell silent. Not wanting to look at Jake, she studied the pattern on the kitchen floor.
Finally Jake asked, “Come on Mom, what happened?”
Carrie sighed and said, “I was very lonesome after Harry went back to England and then I learned I was pregnant. I had received one letter from him but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him about you. We were foolish young kids at the time and never dreamed that would happen.”
Carrie hung her head and cried as Jake held her close and smoothed the back of her head. Carrie had pretty salt & pepper colored hair which was so soft that Jake had always enjoyed smoothing it back. Carrie was so petite, that her head rested on Jake’s chest. Finally she stopped crying and asked, “You didn’t tell him anything, did you?”
“How could I, Mom?” Jake answered, “I wasn’t sure. But how many women, here in town, are named Carrie?”
“Jake, please don’t tell him!” Carrie pleaded.
“Don’t worry, Mom, I won’t.”
Jake made it a point to always seek out Harry during their lunch break and on Friday, Harry asked, “Did your mother know of anyone named Carrie that lived here in ’42?”
“Well, sir, she is checking on it and should know something this evening. Why don’t you stop by the house tonight, around six, and hear what she has to say?”
“If that won’t interfere with your meal, I’ll gladly stop by. Where do you live?”
Jake drew him a map and explained how to get there. Then he rushed back to work and phoned his mother, “Mom, Harry has consented to come over tonight to find out what you know about anyone named Carrie. Could you please cook enough to feed all three of us? We’ll give him the surprise of his life.”
“Oh, Jake, do you think we should?” she asked as she shuddered with pleasure at the thought of seeing Harry again.
“Mom, that man is so lonely, except when we are talking together, that I’m sure he’ll be the happiest man alive once he finds out the truth. I better get back to work.” Jake added, “I love you, Mom,” as he hung up the phone. He slapped the desk with his hand and thought, ‘After all this time, I do have a living father.’
After work, Jake rushed home to see if he could help prepare supper. He gasped when he entered the kitchen, “Mom, you look absolutely fantastic. I’ll bet Harry will recognize you right off.”
Carrie blushed and thanked Jake, then asked him to make a salad.
As Jake cut up the lettuce and vegetables, he asked, “Mom, I wish you would of told me my father was still alive and in England.”
“But, Jake, how could I, even I wasn’t sure.”
Both jumped at the sound of the doorbell, and Carrie stopped in the kitchen doorway. Her face flushed and she patted her hair in place.
Jake laughed and said, “Mom, you look perfect. Let’s see if Harry will recognize you.”
Jake opened the door and asked Harry to come in, but Harry was looking past Jake and his face had turned white. He stammered, “This..this must be a joke. I can’t be looking at an older Carrie from ’42.”
“Yes you are, Harry,” Carried smiled. “Please come in.”
As Harry entered the room, he again stammered, “But..but Jake said you were his mother. Where is your husband? What have you been doing since ’42?”
“My, my, so many questions.” Carrie laughed. “We have a lot to talk about over dinner. Please give Jake your hat and coat and come into the kitchen.”
Harry didn’t move as he watched Carrie enter the kitchen. He stood, dazed, as a smile crept across his face, not believing his good fortune.
He came back to earth as Jake said, “Your hat and coat, please.”
Harry handed over his things and without thinking, Jake said, “Thanks, Dad, now let’s go eat.”