A Diamond in the Rough

by Marilyn Land

  “I have to be honest and say you beat me to the punch. Since losing my brother Harry and his family, Sidney, and my dear friend Franz, I have yearned for the day my nephew Jacob, my sole living relative, would return from the War, planning to join him in England. He has returned safe and sound, and I received a letter from him earlier this year.

  “”He is trying to tie up the many loose ends left after his family was killed and he joined the RAF. He is planning a visit to Cape Town as soon as he is settled, and I plan to leave and return to England with him.

  “Like your situation, I don’t see this happening overnight, but I do feel that it will fit into your timeline for leaving quite well. I am also more than happy to help you with finding a buyer for the Annex and offering you any and all input that will be useful to you.”

  To say the Zeller brothers were relieved would be an understatement. They dreaded leaving Ben knowing he had no one in Cape Town. Over another cup of coffee and much lighter banter, they left the restaurant.

  Ben felt good. He had seen to it that Afram was taking classes; and now the burden of telling the brothers he was leaving had lifted yet another weight from his shoulders.

  When things are good, and when one awakens each day with a purpose, an eye towards the future, and better days to come, time has a way of passing quickly.

  Afram completed his first round of courses. Jamilia was enjoying her English teaching duties with the immigrant children and acquired half a dozen adult students that she taught in the evening.

  They allowed nothing to interfere with their dinners that averaged three to four evenings a week. Jamilia with her busy schedule managed a feast every now and then at the request of her two biggest fans.

  Ben finally shared with them the fact that he was planning to join Jacob in England. If anything, they were relieved. They worried about their good friend who had lost so much.

  The days turned to weeks; the weeks turned to months; 1946 became history. With the arrival of 1947, the Zeller brothers began aggressively seeking buyers for their shop and the Annex. Business continued as usual.

  Ben developed a cough that although persistent, he chose to ignore. When questioned by Jamilia, he said it was simply a cold that was taking longer than normal to get over. After two weeks, he began noticing that he was not only losing weight, but often found himself short of breath. Not even the unbearable night sweats that left him too drained to go to work convinced him to seek medical help. When he began coughing up blood, he grew scared, scared enough to realize that something was seriously wrong, and at last, he made an appointment with the doctor.

  The diagnosis was Pulmonary Tuberculosis in his right lung. The recommendation was Sanatorium confinement for six to nine months, and the prediction that in a year or so, he should be completely cured. The main thing being that for the first two to three months, he needed nothing but complete rest and fresh air. Then a further X-ray would indicate his progression and he would come out of quarantine.

  Tuberculosis, including pulmonary TB, and lung disease was a common and serious condition occurring in Cape Town. Ben experienced all of the early symptoms, but although he chose to ignore them, it had been less than a month since the coughing had begun, and time was of the essence in seeking treatment.

  Without the scientific understanding needed to develop effective therapeutics to fight tuberculosis in its many forms, doctors, patients, families, and charlatans looking to make a profit tried a wide range of treatments to offer any hope of relief and a cure.

  One of the most universal and pervasive approaches for people with the most common pulmonary form of the disease was that of rest and fresh air for patients. This ultimately led to the creation and proliferation of sanatoriums offering the long-term treatment needed.

  The rationale for sanatoria was that a regimen of rest and good nutrition offered the best chance that the sufferer’s immune system would wall off pockets of pulmonary TB infection.

  The Stoneham Sanatorium on the outskirts of Cape Town was a small but exclusive privately owned and run facility. The building consisted of eighteen individual patient rooms, and boasted of a beautiful courtyard and sun balconies where patients could relax and enjoy the outdoors. Once they were well enough to no longer require continual bed rest, they were allowed other privileges, as well.

  March and April passed quickly. Ben followed the rules: Absolute and utter rest of mind and body; consume nourishing food; and have plenty of fresh air. His own set of rules included: No self-pity allowed; remain cheerful at all times; prepare for the future no matter what.

  May brought news that he was doing much better and could go up and down stairs, begin short walks—a few yards more each day, and he could get up for tea and dinner. By month’s end he was dressing himself and could walk without feeling shaky, although at times it left him breathless if he bent down.

  June brought news that if all continued to go well, Ben could go home in three months. But the best news was he could have visitors.

  When Jamilia and Afram came to visit in early July, Ben was overcome. He had not seen his friends for months. He missed them more than words could express. They had a wonderful visit and although visiting hours were from 1:00-3:00 p.m., they allowed them to stay as long as Ben did not grow tired.

  He was pleased to learn that Afram was doing so well with his studies; that Jamilia was also doing well with her teaching, and she assured him that she was taking care of the cottage checking it out frequently. She also told him that she had spoken to the Zeller brothers, and they would be dropping by to see him in the next few days.

  Paul and Phil did stop by days later and gave him an update on finding buyers for the store and the Annex. Two prospects looked promising.

  Once he was feeling better, he decided there were important issues he needed to attend to sooner rather than later.

  He drew up a Will of sorts leaving all his worldly goods to Jacob. He requested that he be cremated and that both his and Sidney’s remains be shipped to England to be buried alongside their brother Harry. All of his personal papers and items along with Sidney’s were to be shipped to Jacob, as well.

  The cottage that he had purchased from the synagogue sat on property that under South African law could not be owned by a black African. Nevertheless, he was leaving the cottage to Jamilia to reside in as long as she wished, the deed to be held in Trust by the bank. When sold, the proceeds would go to her at that time.

  Afram was tasked with the job of building a crate that would hold everything and ship it to Jacob in England. Any and all furniture could be kept or sold as they chose, and his clothing could be donated to the needy.

  When he had completed the Will and instructions, he grew tired. There was one thing left for him to do, but he would take care of that tomorrow. He had not heard from Jacob in over a year. He was actually grateful that he had not received a letter once he fell ill, and purposely did not write to him not wanting him to think it was necessary to come to South Africa immediately. Until recently, he could not have visited him at the Sanatorium, thus he preferred to be back home when he came.

  While sitting quietly in his room after returning from dinner that evening, Ben coughed and hemorrhaged. He continued to cough up blood three to four times a day—sometimes light, sometimes heavy. By Saturday evening, he couldn’t move or speak above a whisper. As quickly as the hemorrhaging had begun, it stopped.

  The damage to his morale was irreversible. If nothing else, it showed how frail he had become. How could he consider making the long voyage to England? He would never survive it. His intentions had never been to be a burden to Jacob.

  The doctors assured him that despite his setback, he was doing quite well. They urged him not to give up, and it worked. He continued to have visitors, and Jamilia brought him books to read.

  Abe Morton came to visit and offered firsthand assurance that Afram wa
s doing splendidly and would probably be enrolled in the South African Native College the following year. He conveyed to him that each Friday at Shabbat Services, the entire congregation’s Amen followed the Rabbi’s prayer for his full and rapid recovery.

  Although, he felt lonely and alone before he fell ill, his many visitors showed otherwise. There were people who cared for and about him, and he was touched.

  Following Ben’s setback, Jamilia approached Abe Morton and suggested that he speak with the Rabbi asking him to write to Jacob telling him of his uncle’s illness; that he was on the mend; and that he would be returning home in a few months. There was no immediate need for him to come to South Africa, but knowing that his uncle had not wanted to concern him with his problems, he was merely giving him a heads up.

  Ben had decided against writing to Jacob. While he was recuperating, he felt it bought him time. Hopefully, he would make a full recovery before his visit to Cape Town. In the meantime, he focused on himself, growing stronger each day.

  In November, Paul and Phil came to visit with news that a buyer had been found for Zeller Jewelers. It was a growing jewelry chain from the United States. If all went well, they would leave Cape Town in the spring. There had not been too much interest in the Annex until just last week when Jonah and Nathan along with three other gem cutters were looking to strike a deal. The brothers were more than willing to work with them.

  Spring sounded good to Ben. If all went as the doctors predicted, he could be well by then. At that point, he would not wait for Jacob to come to Cape Town; he would tell him that he was coming to England.

  In December, the doctors told Ben that they planned to release him in January. He couldn’t return to work; he had to continue to take it slow and easy until he got his strength back. This was no problem; he would tell Paul and Phil that he was retiring and request that they pack up his tools. Jamilia agreed to cook and care for him and even stay at the cottage until he felt better.

  He finally got around to writing to Jacob, but his intent was not to mail the letter. If all went well, he would send word that he was coming to England. If anything happened to him, the letter would tell Jacob of his dream to be reunited with him, and about his battle with the illness that had prevented his dream from becoming a reality.

  1948 began with hope and renewal. The sale and transfer of Zeller Jewelers would become final on March 30th. The Annex transfer would also become final in March, earlier in the month. The brothers’ cottages were both sold with the option to remain until they sailed for England in early April. The two additional stores adjacent to the Annex were sold to the existing tenants.

  January 18th was the day that Ben was due to come home. Jamilia brought flowers for the cottage and supplies to prepare meals for Ben. She picked up new books for him to read, and Afram was setting aside his studies to have dinner and spend the evening with him.

  Without warning, Ben awoke from a coughing fit and found himself covered with blood. For the next week, it was touch and go, and each time they thought they had lost him, he rallied. On January 25th, Ben lost his battle dying peacefully in his sleep. When the nurse arrived bringing his breakfast, she saw that he had passed.

  Jamilia was teaching the children in the basement of the synagogue when the Rabbi’s aide came down to tell her that the Sanatorium had called with the news. She was so upset, the young man urged her to leave promising that he would occupy her students until it was time for their parents to pick them up.

  Afterwards, she could not recall how she reached Afram; how they got to the Sanatorium; or how she had the presence of mind to stop by Ben’s cottage to pick up the envelope he had given her—the envelope that contained his Will and more importantly instructions for his cremation and the shipment of his personal effects to Jacob.

  Once they reached Stoneham, she was composed and handled everything efficiently. As they were leaving, a nurse handed the books that she had brought for him to read and an envelope with the name Jacob Lyons written on the front.

  Jamilia asked Abe Morton to arrange for a memorial service for Ben at the synagogue that he had attended since coming to Cape Town. It was the same synagogue where Sidney and Franz had been eulogized by the townspeople of their community.

  They were all gone now, the three of them—Franz, Sidney, and Ben. Their hearts were heavy and ached with the pain of losing someone exceptional and good—a real mensch (a person of integrity and honor) as the Rabbi had said about Franz.

  A week after Ben died, Jamilia and Afram went to the cottage to gather the items to be shipped to Ben’s nephew. They placed everything on the table to get an idea of how large a crate Afram would have to construct. As they gazed about the room to see if there was anything they missed, they both spoke at once, as their eyes rested on one particular object. “What are we supposed to do with the chest of diamonds?”

  They did not hurry their decision. Instead they put great thought into it. In the end, Jamilia concluded that Franz had never wanted to claim ownership of the diamonds, and therefore never felt they were his to give to someone else. Shiloh—the one to whom it belongs had been left to them to determine.

  At Ben’s request, Afram had made a small box and carved a Star of David on top to hold Sidney’s ashes. He now did the same for him. The crate he built was long and narrow and resembled the size and shape of a casket. It was sturdy and well built to withstand the voyage to England.

  It was large enough to hold the two boxes containing the remains of Ben and Sidney, a small box containing their personal items and mementos, another box containing their diamond cutting tools, and positioned dead center to equally distribute the weight was the carved chest that held Franz’s diamond cache.

  Afram made arrangements with a local funeral home to deliver the crate to the dock for shipment on the first available freighter to England. Before nailing the lid shut, Ben’s letter to Jacob was placed on top. There was nothing identifying the sender of the crate other than the funeral home that they hoped would indicate that the contents were indeed a casket, thereby making shipment of the diamonds secure.

  Jamilia took Ben’s Will to the bank where she gave it to the manager. The Will was signed and witnessed, but someone who did not know Ben or Jamilia might not have thought it legal enough to accept. She gave him the address for Jacob Lyons and requested that he send a wire notifying him of his uncle’s demise.

  She further suggested that he advise him of Ben’s burial wishes for his and Sidney’s remains that were being shipped to him in England, along with various personal items. In addition, since Ben’s account at this very bank was now Jacob’s, she inquired when the bank would be notifying him to arrange the transfer of funds.

  The bank manager smiled broadly. “Jamilia, I’m proud of you. The two years will be up soon, and I can honestly say that you have learned so much in the time I have worked with you in handling your inheritance from Franz Schiller. You are a quick learner, and I have no doubt that you will manage wisely. I understand that Afram is doing great with his studies, and I wish you nothing but the very best.

  “I will send the wire immediately and include all of your recommendations.”

  After 1943, when Albert Schatz, then a graduate student at Rutgers University, discovered streptomycin an antibiotic and the first cure for tuberculosis, sanatoria began to close their doors. By the 1950s, Tuberculosis was no longer a major public health threat, controlled by antibiotics rather than extended rest and fresh air.

  PART THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Lexi was beside herself. It had been two months since she had any contact with Jake. She had posted two letters to the address he had given her and had not received a response. Her calls to Marcus Hirsch were equally as frustrating. His last contact with Jake had been about the same time as hers. To add to her dilemma, she was pregnant.

  Graduation from nursing school was a month away
, and the following month her brother was getting married. Her father had set sail from Jerusalem and would be arriving in London in two weeks. She hadn’t yet decided how she would handle the situation, but felt that with her Pops back home, she could stay with him until the baby was born. She was due to give birth in late September.

  Hopefully, by then she would hear from Jake, and they could make plans for their future together when he returned home. Unfortunately that was not to be.

  Her graduation in April was a happy event. Her family lauded her accomplishments, amid her two older brothers teasing her endlessly. The Portman family had not been together for some time, and it brought back fond memories of when they were younger.

  As May arrived, and Mark and Rosalie’s wedding grew closer, she became more apprehensive with each passing day. She had not yet begun to show, but as her waistline disappeared her clothes became tight and uncomfortable.

  One evening following dinner, her father motioned for her to sit beside him on the sofa. “I’ve been back in England for over a month, and you haven’t said a word about what your plans are. Have you applied for any nursing positions? Have you thought about where you would like to work? It’s not like you to be without a plan; you’ve always had a plan for what you wanted to do.”

  Lexi was caught off guard by her father’s questions. He was right; she always had a plan. “I have several things I’m looking into. I just wanted to get through graduation and Mark’s wedding, and then I’ll decide.”

  She was totally unprepared for what came next.

  “As I promised, I have returned to England. I would never miss two such important occasions in my children’s lives. I only wish your Mum was here.