While reading LGN’s Willie’s Shoe Repair Store entries, I was
reminded of the days when I was five years old and would visit
the shoe store man in our Chicago Hyde Park neighborhood.
The man’s name was Karl and he was the funniest man I knew.
Every Saturday morning, I would stop and say hello to Karl
on my way to the grocers. And every Saturday morning, Karl
told me a joke and then shush me away, saying he had work to do.
I would smile and leave feeling better than when I went in.
One day, Karl had his usually rolled down sleeves rolled up and
I happened to see a line of numbers inked on his arm. I asked
him what those numbers meant. Karl said he doesn’t talk about them.
So, we left it at that. I was only five and didn’t know much, but I
knew Karl felt bad about the numbers.
A few years later, my oldest sister married Karl’s son. And we all
loved Karl together whenever we saw him at family gatherings. Then,
one day, Karl passed away. But the truth about his numbers came out and
and there is another story, the story I really want to tell you today.
Karl was married to Gretel, a Christian woman, back in Germany. They
were married very young and had three boys. When the Nazi’s came,
the boys were sent to the USA to live with their aunts. Karl was taken
to the concentration camps and Gretel stayed in Germany to wait for him.
After several years, word came to Gretel that the Nazi’s were allowing
the release of 300 people from the camp Karl was known to be in.
Gretel gathered her identification papers and literally ran down to the
office where she might find her husband being released. When she got
there, the officer told her all 300 people had already been released.
Gretel was heartbroken, needless to say. She turned away and walked
a few steps, and then turned back and asked the officer,
“Would anybody mind if it was 301 people?”
The officer took one look at Gretel, and replied, “Wait here.” It seemed like forever to Gretel who had already waited seven years forKarl’s release, but within a few minutes, her beloved husband was standing before her, hugging her and saying, “Let’s go home, dear, let’s go home.”
I love that story so much because it shows how the smallest thing like asking one more question can change the lives of not only Karl and Gretel, their three boys whom they later joined in the States, but also myself,and all of my family, and my family’s family. Just because of that one question…Would anybody mind if it was just one more person who got released, or who gets fed, or who gets saved today? Would anybody mind?
You can get a burger or other good sandwiches there for under $10. It’s a great place for a special outing, or just a quick burger.