Mendelevski's Box
Page 28
‘Now you’re a very rich man, with that, the money you already had in Jos’s place and the other coins. Plus there’s the insurance and the house.’
‘I don’t know about those things, both are a bit of a problem. I’ve had an idea that I might ask van der Meer to handle that for me, especially if we’re going to be leaving Amsterdam. There’s something very special I want to do with some of the money that I might ask him to deal with as well. I can afford to pay him.’ He laughed. ‘Wouldn’t it be ironic if he was working for me?’
‘Even more surprises? When are you going to tell me what else you have in mind?’
He kissed her. ‘As soon as I have thought it all through you’ll be the first to know, I promise. I want you involved in everything, I want our future to be together.’
They took a taxi from the station. The driver looked surprised that the couple hiring him asked to be taken to one of the poorest streets in Amsterdam, but grinned happily as he pocketed a large tip.
‘I can’t wait to see Grietje and Irene, I hope they’re in.’
‘Grietje probably will be now she’s cycling back from work again.’
‘Cycling? How on earth did she get tyres?’
‘A friend got them through a contact.’
‘Let me guess, Jos.’
They both collapsed with laughter.
‘Grietje said something about cooking us both a meal tonight as you have no food in, but Irene is still in Utrecht. Grietje is going back there on Saturday to collect her.’
‘And staying the night?’
‘I think so, why do you ask?’
She giggled and snuggled up to him as he opened the door. ‘I thought we might manage that special time together.’
Wednesday 14th November 1945
He and Jos finished the delivery, managed to get rid of the drayman without the usual lengthy chat over a beer, and sat down with coffee.
‘Great to have Maaike back last night, all the regulars think she’s wonderful, you know.’
‘So do I, I missed her very much. Nothing’s decided yet, but she has been asked by her family to move back to Friesland.’
‘I hope she’s not going. Well, if she wants to then I suppose she must, but I’ll miss her, the business will miss her.’
‘So would I, that’s why I might go too.’
‘Bloody hell, not you too.’
‘If she goes I’ll go as well. I have to be with her, I love her.’
‘Love! You’ve only got to look at my wife to see where love gets you.’
They sat in silence for a few moments then he spoke. ‘I haven’t worked it out yet, but I was seriously thinking of leaving Amsterdam anyway and starting again somewhere away from all the bad memories this place holds even before Maaike mentioned Leeuwarden. My plan would take us a lot further than Friesland.’
He outlined his idea for his future and for his newfound wealth to Jos, the first person he had shared his thoughts with.
‘That’s a lot to take in, it’s massive, very ambitious. What does Maaike think?’
‘I haven’t told her anything yet, you’re the only one I’ve spoken to. Please keep it to yourself until I’ve thought it through. It will be a while yet, there will be paperwork to sort out before we can go so it’s Leeuwarden for now with Maaike’s family.’
‘Of course lad, I’ll miss the both of you but if you do it then it will really be the start of a new life after what the war did to you both. I’ll be proud to wave you two off.’
‘Whether we go or not, whatever progress I’ve made is down to you, I can never thank you enough.’
‘You’re welcome, I care very much for you and Maaike. I’d better get on with sorting Berger out quickly then if you’re about to leave me.’
The front door rattled and Jos turned angrily. ‘Bloody people, can’t they read the opening times?’ He shouted, ‘We’re closed, come back at eleven.’
The door rattled again and whoever it was began knocking too. Jos strode across to the door, drew back the bolts and prepared to give the caller a mouthful of obscenities.
Instead he fell silent as the large figure of Abraham Hirschfeld’s assistant stepped into the room holding an envelope.
‘Goedemorgen Meneer van Loon, I’m sorry to bother you before you are open, but I have something to deliver from Meneer Hirschfeld, or rather from his partner, in the business Meneer Mendelevski and he discussed. Perhaps he can pay it into his bank as soon as possible? It will clear almost immediately and Meneer Hirschfeld wishes to collect the goods on Saturday.’
‘Is he allowed to do that? I thought he wouldn’t be able to work on Saturday, it’s his Sabbath or something, isn’t it?’
Joost laughed. ‘Meneer, where there is money involved Abraham Hirschfeld always conveniently bends the rules.’
‘Well, check it then, Simon.’
He opened the envelope and took out a banker’s draft made out to him for 7,000 guilders drawn on the account of ‘Mokum Investments’.
‘I think there’s a mistake, it’s 200 guilders too much.’
Jos gave him a ‘keep your mouth shut you silly boy’ look before Joost spoke.
‘My employer’s partner thought the deal was rather hard on you and wanted the amount to be rounded up as a gesture of good faith. Meneer Hirschfeld agreed when it was established that it would not affect his share of the profit.’
All three of them laughed.
Jos visibly relaxed and, inviting Joost to sit down, opened three beers.
‘A toast. To young Simon, Abe and his mystery backer.’ They raised their glasses in Simon’s direction and Jos lit one of his cigars.
‘Get yourself off to the bank,’ Jos told Simon, ‘the sooner that’s paid in the sooner Meneer Hirschfeld can collect his goods. I don’t need you until four. My new friend Joost and I are going to have a few more beers before I have to open up.’
Simon raced to Slootstraat to see Maaike and show her the draft. They went to the bank together and paid it into his account.
‘The money will be credited to your account overnight tonight and you will be able to draw on it by lunchtime tomorrow.’ The clerk shook his hand and smiled at Maaike. ‘Thank you for your business and please do not hesitate to contact us if you need anything further.’
Out in the street Maaike turned to him. ‘Oh Simon, or should I say Meneer Mendelevski, you are obviously a very valuable customer. I felt so proud to be with you. The clerk couldn’t do enough for you.’ She giggled. ‘Fancy me having one of Amsterdam’s most important citizens on my arm.’
‘Stop it! He probably ingratiates himself with all his customers, I expect it’s all part of the bank’s service, but it is nice to have some standing again. Even as a boy I was respected because of father, but I was a nobody when I returned. A lot has happened in a few weeks.’
They celebrated his newfound wealth with lunch in a cafe, a treat for both of them.
‘I want to show you something or rather somewhere. Can you walk a little further? I think we can get a tram part of the way back.’
‘Of course, what is it?’
‘First I want to show you our old house but mainly I want to show you our old shul, our church you’d call it. I’ve been thinking about my religion a lot recently.’
‘You want to go back to it, don’t you?’
‘How did you know? I’m not sure, but what would you say if I did?’
‘Simon, it’s you I love, I knew you were a Jew and what that involves from the first day we met. You must do what you feel, I’ll be there with you and I’ll share it with you if that’s what it takes.’
He gripped her arm and kissed her on the cheek.
They walked slowly down Dijkstraat, passing the house with its illegal occupants.
‘It’s a lovely house, I can just imagine your family in there. It’s awful that someone has taken it, you simply must get it back.’
‘It was lovely, a lovely cosy family home. We were so happy the
re. I’m not sure I even want to try to get it back, it won’t be the same without mother, father and Esther.’
It would be ideal for us, she thought but she said nothing.
They came out onto Kromboomssloot.
‘What a beautiful canal! You know I like canals, this is as nice as anything in the Jordaan and I love those old warehouses.’
‘I used to play here as a child. We had a small rowing boat, it was perfect.’
Crossing the Oudeschans, they came to Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat and the shul.
‘This is where you and your family worshipped?’
‘Yes, my father was a reader here. He read the Torah, the scrolls. He was quite an important man and well respected. I spoke to someone here last Friday and he said the congregation was almost gone, and that they don’t always have enough men to hold services so it will probably close.’
‘Can’t you return, for your father’s sake?’
‘I want to, but if we leave for Friesland and if my plan for the future happens we won’t be in Amsterdam much longer. Perhaps I could go back to a shul wherever we are living.’
‘Do you want to do that?’
‘Yes, I think I do, for no reason other than to ensure that all those who died did not die in vain, that Judaism lives, and that it will grow in strength again. The woman who told me mother and Esther were dead, the old man who was here the other day and even Abe Hirschfeld all said things that made me think I should return to my faith.’
He fell silent. They walked on to Waterlooplein, took the tram and went straight to work.
Jos greeted them enthusiastically. ‘Simon, Maaike! You’re early, very early in your case Maaike, what’s happening?’
‘We paid the money into the bank and, as Irene is still in Utrecht, Maaike decided to come in with me.’
‘I’m pleased to see you both, I can have a few minutes’ rest downstairs while you work up here. When will the money be in your bank?’
‘Tomorrow lunchtime, they said.’
‘You’ll have to go there again before work and check, I’m not letting those coins go anywhere until I know you’ve been paid.’
‘You should have been there, the bank clerk was bowing and scraping to Simon, I was so proud to be with him.’
‘He’s not a millionaire but he’s a very well-off young man, marry him as soon as you can.’ Jos laughed and disappeared down the cellar, his sights no doubt set on a quiet drink.
The evening passed quickly. The bar was busy but they had developed such a good working system between them that however crowded it became, they coped easily.
They walked home in the rain without stopping at their bench. Something was clearly playing on Maaike’s mind.
‘When are you going to tell me your plan? I’m dying to know.’
‘Not just yet. I’ll telephone van der Meer to ask him to take on the house and the insurance claim for me, so we can leave as soon as the thing with Berger is sorted out. You do understand that now I’ve found him I’d like to see it through. I’m waiting for Jos to come up with something. I’ve found him and I’m sure it was him but if I’m honest I don’t think he’s ever going to admit it to me, so really that just leaves father’s painting, I can’t leave without that. I have money in the bank and the cash in Jos’s cellar that we can take with us. I’m sure he will look after father’s box and the things still in it until we are settled.’
‘Leave? Settled? Where do you mean?’
‘Leeuwarden of course, for a while anyway. We’ll have to tell Jos and Grietje.’
‘When are you thinking we might go?’
‘You need to write to Aunt Nel first to tell her and ask her if she can arrange that place for me to stay. I’ll get money for rent to her somehow.’
‘Are you sure? Don’t do it just for me.’
‘I hope we will be going much further than Leeuwarden together, but Friesland will do for now.’
Saturday 17th November 1945
Grietje was working again, and as she was leaving for Utrecht in the early afternoon she started early so he and Maaike, with no Irene to look after, did all the shopping. They also had an early start as he had no idea what time Hirschfeld was coming for the gold and he suspected he might arrive before Jos opened at eleven.
He’d checked at the bank and the money as promised was in his account. The clerk had also presented him with his cheque book. He had felt very proud, and Maaike had been excited, although he hadn’t the first idea if he ever might need to actually sign a cheque. He’d also telephoned van der Meer who had been surprisingly friendly and, despite having an important criminal trial coming up at the end of the month in The Hague, had agreed to see him on Tuesday morning.
Maaike had written to her aunt the previous afternoon and although she wasn’t working until six, she wanted to go in to work with him so they could tell Jos together that they had made up their minds to leave. Simon was pleased as it meant he wouldn’t have to work the busy Saturday lunchtime and afternoon period with Jos’s wife.
They were at the bar by ten. Jos was in his cellar apron changing a barrel and stacking empties. He was delighted to see them both, and early to boot, as they had finished late the previous evening and there were still floors to be swept, ashtrays to empty and glasses to wash.
‘Lovely to see you Maaike, but I’m not paying overtime, you know.’
‘What time do you think he’ll come for the coins and watch cases Jos?’
‘I’ve no idea, I hope it’s before we get busy, but the money is already dealt with so really all we have to do is hand over the bags.’
‘Jos, can Simon and I talk to you about something?’
‘That sounds ominous, whatever is it?’
Maaike looked nervous and turned to Simon for support.
‘You remember I mentioned to you that Maaike and I might move to Friesland, well, we’ve decided to go so I’m sorry but we’ll have to leave you.’
Jos sat in silence looking at the floor for a few moments. ’I really don’t know how I’ll manage without you two, and I’ll certainly miss you both. You’ve been like children to me, I suppose. My wife and I never had children.’ He laughed. ‘Perhaps we were never speaking to each other for long enough.’
‘We’ll miss you too, you’ve been wonderful to us. First you employed me then Simon, we couldn’t have managed to live without you.’
‘So will Friesland be permanent then?’ He gave Simon a sideways glance. ‘Or are there other things planned?’
He spoke quickly before Maaike realised he and Jos had already discussed it. ‘Possibly Jos, possibly.’
‘He’s got something in mind, but he won’t tell me.’
‘When are you planning to leave me?’
‘As soon as we hear back from Maaike’s aunt about somewhere for me to live.’
‘If you got married you could live together.’
Maaike blushed and looked away while Simon gave Jos a hard stare, afraid he would blurt out part of his secret.
‘I’ve got to sort out the Berger thing first though, I must have that painting and I want to instruct van der Meer on some outstanding things and an idea I’ve got.’
‘Leave Berger to me, he’s not going to tell you anything. I might be a little more, shall we say, persuasive.’
He was about to argue when the front door rattled.
‘That must be Hirschfeld and Joost, let them in, and Maaike, can you get the Canadian Club bottle and two glasses while I make coffee.’
He unbolted the door to find Abe and Joost on the doorstep. Parked on the corner was the same car and driver that had brought them three days before but on this occasion, there was an extra passenger sitting in the back.
‘Goedemorgen gentlemen, please sit down.’ Jos indicated a table. ‘Whisky for you, Meneer Hirschfeld, and what about you, Joost? Coffee or beer?’
Hirschfeld greeted them. ‘Shalom Meneer van Loon, shalom Simon, and who pray is the beautiful young lady?’
‘In love, he means in love, don’t you, Simon?’
‘Jos, really!’ Maaike blushed again. She came out from behind the bar and joined them at the table while Simon and Jos carried the drinks.
Jos poured two generous measures of whisky for himself and the old man and a beer for Joost while Simon and Maaike had coffee.
‘Well, my friend’s payment is safely in your bank Simon so may I have the goods?’
Jos fetched the two bags from behind the bar. Hirschfeld examined the wax seals and pronounced himself satisfied.
‘Gentlemen, the transaction is complete, let us drink to our success and the future for all of us.’
Jos refilled Hirschfeld’s glass and poured himself another before Hirschfeld spoke again.
‘There is just one more thing. My friend, who has financed most of the purchase, is outside in his car. With your permission I will bring him in. He specifically mentioned that he wanted to speak to you Simon and meet you Meneer van Loon, and of course I would like him to see his goods before we leave here.’
Simon looked at Jos who nodded. ‘Yes, of course.’
Joost crossed to the door and opened it, holding back the curtain as Matthijs van der Meer entered the room.
‘Goedemorgen Simon, Juffrouw de Vries, and you must be Meneer van Loon.’ He held out his hand to Jos. ‘I’m Matthijs van der Meer.’
He turned to Simon. ‘We meet earlier than expected.’
‘You! What are you doing here?’ Simon was visibly shocked. ‘What have you got to do with this?’
‘Abe here didn’t tell you? Good. I asked him not to in case you refused to sell to me for some reason.’
‘This is your lawyer friend then? I’m not surprised you didn’t trust him.’
‘Jos, please.’ Simon was embarrassed, ‘I know Meneer van der Meer better now, of course I trust him.’