Three grandsons and now, at last a granddaughter. At last, someone I will sew little dresses for; someone who will share all my handmade beaded jewelry. Lena was named after everyone’s favorite Bubbe Lena. She was the most adorable freckle faced little girl. This week she was no longer our little Lena; she was a Columbia University freshman (freshwoman) staying at our house during intersession, waiting for classes to resume.
I passed her closed door and thought I heard sobbing. I knocked and entered and there indeed was my granddaughter crying into the pillows.
“Lena, what’s the matter? Why the tears?” I softly asked, while caressing her.
She whimpered, “Julian, Julian. I lost it.”
"Who is Julian? Where did you lose him?” I questioned.
“Grandma, Julian is my boyfriend. He’s also a freshman at Columbia, a physics major like my dad.”
I could only imagine that Julian had phoned her and broken up, causing all those tears.
“No grandma, Julian and I are fine. He’s coming back to campus in a few days.” she assured me.
“So Lena, why all the tears to warrant those red eyes?” I questioned.
“Grandma, I lost it; I lost his gift. I must have lost it at Kennedy Airport when I took my water bottle out of my backpack. I must have pulled it out and lost it on the floor at the airport. Grandma, I’m phoning the Lost and Found. Maybe someone turned it in.”
She dialed a GOOGLED number and inquired, “ I was in the airport on (gave a date) in terminal (gave a terminal). Did anyone turn in a tan croissant?”
Overhearing the speaker phone conversation, the reply from Lost and Found was, “No Miss, food is immediately thrown away by the cleaning people.” End of conversation, quick and abrupt!!
“Lena, there’s a great French Pastry bakery in Forest Hills. We will get you another croissant,” I said, hopping to allay her anxiety. Lena looked at me in disbelief and annoyance as though I was the cause of her lost croissant.
”How can I tell Julan I lost his gift?” she stammered. More tears, louder sobbing!!
As a neat freak grandmother, I needed order. “Lena, let’s straighten up this room. Let’s fold all your clothing neatly back into the suitcases. Let’s make the bed. Then, we will think of a solution to this drama and trauma.” Together, we folded and repacked all her possessions. We collected all the throw pillows and began to straighten the heavy blue quilt, when out from under the quilt popped the cutest stuffed tan plush croissant shaped huggie. If it could talk, it would have said, “ It’s about time you got me out from under that heavy quilt. Julian sends his love.” Happiness, joy, smiles and kisses filled the room and erased all the sadness and wiped away all the tears.
Ethyl Haber
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