Anna's Story

Chapter 4

When Stephen kissed her, she felt week in the knees and felt her heart race. None of her beaus had ever made her feel this way. Stephen pulled back after the second kiss and Anna wanted more. She reached her hands around behind his neck and brought him back down to her. He kissed her again. There was more passion in this kiss than the last and she found herself kissing him back. As he pulled away from her this time, she looking deep in his eyes and decided that this was her Gypsy after all. One day, he would be hers and hers alone.

Stephen asked to see her again the next day, but she had obligations. She quickly asked that he come for dinner. He agreed. She smiled, turned and went through the door, leaving him on the walk and her father scrambling to get to his chair.

"I've invited Stephen to dinner', she said walking over to her father, who sat in his favorite chair. She came up from behind him and hugged him around the neck. "Please behave!", giving him a kiss on the top of his bald head. With the arm he had left from the railroad accident a few years before, he hugged her back. Winking at his wife, he told Anna, "It will be painful mein Tochter, very painful." With that, she swats the top of his head and waltzes up the stairs to bed, prepared to dream of her future.

Spring cleaning completed and the afternoon meal started, Anna, along with her parents walk to mass. Her head fixed forward, her eyes search for Stephen. Then she spots him, with a group of young men from the neighborhood. He looks her way and she quickly moves her gaze to the doorway of the church. she feels herself turning red, the blush seems to grow from her toes. Thinking to herself, "What could he possibly see in a girl like me, blushing at the sight of him."

Stephen glances in Anna's direction and sees her flush. He pretends that he is talking to his friends but is watching Anna's every move. He finds her every move inviting.

"Talk to you later, I have someone I have to talk to", said Stephen and he was walking toward Anna. But he doesn't talk to Anna, he begins speaking to her father, Andrew. He asks permission to court his daughter and Andrew, reluctantly gives it.

Anna and Stephen began their courtship. They spent most of their time together sitting on the porch or in the parlor with Anna's father keeping a watchful eye on the two of them. Mary knew that her daughter wanted to be alone with Stephen and did her best to distract her husband so the two could be alone.

Stephen saw Anna everyday after work. He would stop and she would have a plate ready for him. It became customary that he read the paper to Mary in her native German. He managed to capture the hearts of both of Andrew's women.

Anna's graduation and eighteenth birthday came and went. Now that Anna was eighteen, there was no need for a chaperone. She and Stephen stopped sitting on the porch and began taking long rides in the country with a blanket and a picnic basket. By summer's end, Anna and Stephen were seeing each other everyday of the week. She looked forward to his sweet kisses and was left wanting more.

Anna looked around the room at her family. She thought that maybe Steve would be proud of them, no, she knew he would be. They were all strong and happy. As she was reaching for her tea, Heidi touched her hand and smiled, "You look so happy Oma."

"And who wouldn't be with such a loving family around her."

As she watched the youngest showoff with somersaults, her mind drifted to the day Steve proposed.

Anna's Story

Chapter Three

He stood in the shadows of the front porch, smoking a cigarette, watching the girls walk by the house. Normally, Stephen would not be home this time of day. Today was his day of independence, he was becoming a citizen of the United States. This past year since arriving has left him very little time to be social. He came to this country, leaving everything behind after the War. There wasn't much left and he wanted more for himself than he'd have gotten there. He had been living with friends of his parents for the past year, working on the railroad during the day and going to school at night. He was ready to bust with want to get out from this house.
He never saw her before, or at least never noticed her before today. She was beautiful. A tiny little thing with dark brown hair that shined like chestnuts. She wore it in the flapper bob that was so popular. Her eyes were as dark as a doe's and had the same look of innocence. Her cheeks were blushed with the kiss of the wind and Stephen could hear her laughing with her friend. It sounded like glass wind chimes, delicate as it filled the air. He knew he was not ready to settle down yet but this girl stirred something in him that he hadn't felt since coming to America. He knew that he would be taking the time to get to know her very soon.

A few weeks later, there was a community dance at Sacred Heart. Stephen decided to attend but did not bring a date. He was hoping not only to get a glimpse of the young woman that he saw walk by his home, but to meet her as well. He had been late to work a couple of times, waiting, wanting to see her and her friend go by. He knew her name was Anna, he had asked around the neighborhood. Everyone in the neighborhood knew Anna. She was very popular with young and old. She was a good catholic girl from a good family. The more he heard the more he wanted. And tonight he was going to be introduced. He'd been planning over a week for this night.

The basement of the church was decorated for the Spring Dance. Left over flowers from Easter were used as the table centerpieces. The tables covered with a white linen cloth sprinkled with petals. Streamers were hung from the ceiling looking like maypoles to be danced around. Mr. Stueben, carpenter by trade and neighborhood handy man, created a gazebo that was the dance floor for those who chose to dance. Streamers and flowers sprayed the gazebo. Pastel Chinese lanterns were hung from the ceiling among the streamers, giving the impression of a soft, warm spring day in a country meadow. Spring was cold and wet, cabin fever had set in over the winter and the neighborhood was ready to venture outdoors to see their friends.

Stephen had become friends with one of Anna's neighbors so he would have a proper introduction to her.

"Stephen, my boy", Mr. Drawert was doing his best to be discreet with his introductions, something he was not an expert at. "Please meet Anna Barren, she is the daughter of my good friends, Andrew and Mary. I'm sure she will be happy to introduce you to the other young people here at the dance."

"Anna, the pleasure is all mine", said Stephen as he took Anna's hand in his, kissing it softly. "It would please me very much if I could be your escort this evening. Unless, of course, you are here with someone." He knew that she was not here with anyone else, he had done his research. Several young men had asked Anna but she had turned them all down.

Anna replied, "Of course, I would be happy to introduce you to anyone here. I see the Bloombergs and the Sonnenfelds over there. Both very prominent families here. Both have lovely daughters. I am assuming that is the reason for the introductions?"

"No", Stephen said, leaning toward her. "The reason for the introduction to you was to meet you. I could think of no other way".

"Humft, maybe coming up to me and saying 'Hello, My name is Stephen Zakutansky'. Oh", she gasped. Forgetting that Mr. Drawert did not mention his last name. A blush came to her cheeks. He smiled down at her, knowing then that she was just as interested in him as he was of her. She had also done her research. She was outspoken and that only drew him to her more.

He spent the rest of that evening, holding her in his arms as they danced. She came only to his chest and he had to bend down to hear her. Others tried to cut in but Stephen had not allowed that. It was clear that he had placed a claim on her, and she was more than willing to be claimed.

As the night began to wind down, Stephen asked Anna's parents if he could walk her home from the dance. Andrew looked questioningly at Mary who nodded slightly. He looked from his wife's face to his daughter's and found that this was an argument that would be lost if he tried. He felt as if Anna was slipping through his fingers, but also felt the need to let go of her. He took Stephen's hand in his own and said, "Fine, bring her home safe", as his eyes began to water.

Once outside, Stephen placed his coat around Anna's shoulders and kept his arm there a bit longer than he needed. He ran his right hand down her left arm, slowly and took her hand in his, her fingers curled around his. They walked hand in hand unhurriedly to her home. As they walked, she gave a small history of who lived in this house or who owned that store. He could have listened to her for hours. Her voice as sweet as a lullaby.

They came to her house, the walk ending much faster than he wanted it to. As they reached her front door, he turned her to face him. They stood there, Anna looking up at him, her eyes searching his as if she had looked into his soul. Maybe she had. Stephen cupped her face in his hands and brought his mouth down over hers. He kissed her gently, not once but twice. As he began to pull away, Anna reached her hands behind his neck and brought him back down to her. He kissed her again, deeper, with more passion and longing this time. As he pulled away from her, Stephen saw in Anna's eyes the same longing.

Tonight he knew that he found the woman he would spend the rest of his life with. Walking backward toward the street, he asked if he could call on her the next day.

"No, I'm afraid I have to help with the spring cleaning." She saw the hurt expression on his face, even in the shadows, and quickly added, "But, please, come to dinner on Sunday after Mass. About one o'clock."

Smiling, he whispered back, "Nothing would please me more. Until then." Anna turned to go into the house. Stephen turned and found he was walking with a bounce in his step and he could still taste her sweet lips on his as he whistled on his way home.

Anna's Story

Chapter Two

Anna begins walking in the direction of her gaze. She was still silent, walking through the crowd that separates like the Red Sea. As if wearing blinders, she sees nothing but the sight before her.

"Mein leibhaber, mein Zigeuner, my Steve!", she cries out. A life-size portrait of her husband stands before her, She has been a widow for over 50 years and has never stopped loving or missing him. He is her gypsy, the man she fell in love with all those long years ago.

Heidi, her eldest granddaughter, always interested in the man she never met, had the life-size photo of her grandfather made from an old wedding photograph for the party. There were also enlargements of other missing family members that have been long gone. Pictures of her parents, her brothers and their wives. Only one was missing and that was her sister, Mary, gone these past 100 years. She never met her older sister and there were no pictures of her to be found. As Anna stands there, her family begins to come, surrounding her. Her favorite great-granddaughter, Katrina, Heidi's youngest, is standing next to her, arm around her shoulder, asking, "Old Grandma, are you okay? You look like you have seen a ghost."

Anna's voice cracks as she replies, "Yes, child, I am. Just a bit of a shock and lost in my memories."

"Come, sit down and I'll get you a cup of tea. Relax and have fun, it's your day after all." said Katrina.

As Heidi wheeled in the cake, ablaze with 90 candles, Anna looked into Heidi's eyes. Heidi how pleased Oma was but also saw something else, a flicker, like a candle almost blown out in the wind. And as her family gathered around the cake and sang, Anna's thoughts moved back over her long life.

She grew up in what is known as the Valley on Exchange Street in Buffalo. The neighborhood was of Hun-Austrian immigrants. Her parents had moved back and forth from Austria to America several times before her Papa told her Mother to choose a country. With World War I beginning, America was were they would make their permanent home. When she was a young woman in her teens, a family from Czechoslovakia had moved into the neighborhood. With them, they brought a border, a young man of 17. To Anna, he was the most handsome man she ever laid eyes on and decided then and there she would marry a gypsy.

Anna went to a Catholic high school in her neighborhood with her best friend, Celeste. They changed their route to school in order to pass the Gypsy's house. Leaning toward Anna, Celeste whispers, "Ann, I don't understand why you have me take the long way to school, that new kid goes to work very early in the morning, he's been gone for hours!"

"Yes, I know Celeste, you tell me that every morning." said Anna. "But what if he is late one day? I want you to see him, he's so handsome. I want going to marry a gypsy like him someday.

Celeste rolled her eyes, "And so you tell me every morning!" And of they went as they did every morning, until almost a year later.

Seniors and just about a month away from graduation, Anna and Celeste, heads together, walk the same route they started a year ago. Their voices low, whispering teen girl secrets to one another, Anna felt eyes on her, almost as if they were burning into her soul. As she looked over her shoulder, she saw her gypsy, watching her. There was a stirring in her that she never felt before, unfamiliar yet not at all unpleasant. She never told Celeste, who after a year of taking this detour, never stopped complaining of the extra blocks, that he was there, watching. She looked into his eyes, certain that this would be the she gypsy would marry.

Peter's voice brought her back from the past, "Ma, it's time to open gifts. Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale".

"I'm fine Peter. Let's get the young ones to help Old Grandma open this mountain of gifts".

Anna's Story

Chapter One



It is spring of the year again, the April rain is beating against Anna’s windowpane. She stands there staring but not seeing the garden beyond the bedroom window. As she begins getting ready for yet another milestone birthday, she finds it so unbelievable that 90 years have gone so quickly.

She has buried both parents, two brothers, and her husband. While her mind feels like a thirty something, her body feels all of its 90 years. As memories race though her mind, there is a knock on her door, her only child, a son. Peter and his family planned this milestone party. “Milestone”, she thinks. “A milestone for outliving my friends and most of my family?”

Anna opens the door and she sees her son standing there. He looks so much like her father.

As he bends down to kiss her cheek, he says, “Are you all ready, Ma? Everyone is here, waiting. You look beautiful tonight Ma, the Belle of the ball.”

“Pfft!” She clicks her tongue. “A Belle he says, a tarnished bell!” Anna takes his arm and with his help, they descend the stairs to the foyer below. What is left of her family and friends have gathered around the foot of the stairs. Almost 100 years ago, her beloved Papa would have called her his prinzessin and tonight she feels every inch the princess.

Anna looks around, her son, his wife and their five children, their spouses, all the grandchildren, nieces and nephews and their families. All there to celebrate her birth.

She goes to each one, caresses his or her face with her hands and cries out, “Oh, mein liebling!” Each one accepts her caress as a loving kiss. Of course, the younger ones squirm a bit, but enjoy their Old Grandma more than they will let on.

Anna’s eyes move from her youngest grandson to the living room just beyond the French doors. The sight brought tears to her eyes.