More All-Of-A-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor

More All-Of-A-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor

Author:Sydney Taylor
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Childrens, Family, Jewish, City & Town Life, Fiction, Siblings, Religious, Lifestyles
ISBN: 9780307829313
Publisher: Lizzie Skurnick Books
Published: 2013-05-28T23:00:00+00:00


CHARLIE KEPT TUGGING at Mama’s skirt. “Play with me,” he implored.

“Mama’s too busy now, Charlie.” She brought out a box of empty spools which she had saved over the years. All of Mama’s children had played with them. “Here, play by yourself.”

Charlie always liked to play with the spools. He sat on his heels and built wobbly little houses, talking and singing to himself as he labored. No sooner were they up, than with one gleeful swoop of his arm, he’d send them tumbling down. After a while, he put one behind the other, and they became a long streetcar. “Clang! Clang!” the little conductor chanted as he crept along the kitchen floor.

Mama was glad she had found something to interest him. It was Friday, and she was busy with preparations for the Sabbath. The house to put in order, bread and cake to bake, the special Sabbath dinner to cook. She’d have to rush if she expected to be through in time.

It wasn’t long, however, before Charlie was bored with his streetcar. He began kicking the spools with hands and feet, scrambling them all over the floor. The mixup seemed to please him, and he prattled away cheerily in his own baby language.

Mama kept stumbling over the rolling spools as she went back and forth. It made her cross. “Charlie, pick up the spools and put them back into the box!” she commanded.

Dutifully, Charlie started collecting the spools. It was a wonderful game, and he had lots of fun. He dived under the whatnot, inched his way in and out beneath the leather couch, and crawled under the table and chairs. He even poked into the coal box and rummaged through the open garbage pail. It took a long time, and when he was finished, he was a complete mess, his hands all grubby and his face smeared. He looked around. It was so quiet in the house. Where was everyone? “Mama,” he asked, “where Dertie and Lotte?”

“In school,” Mama answered shortly.

“I wanna go school,” he said.

“You will when you get to be a big boy.”

“I big boy now,” he insisted.

Mama did not answer. She was kneading her challis dough. It had risen beautifully, nice and spongy. It would make two fine loaves. She nodded with satisfaction.

Charlie climbed up on a chair so he could watch Mama. How different things looked up here! He looked on, spellbound, while Mama’s swift hands pushed the soft mass of dough on the bread board. In and out and round about the hands went. Schwiggle schwaggle! In the bread pan right before him lay another big lump, just like Mama’s. He poked it lightly with an exploring finger. It made a nice little hole, but in a moment, the hole seemed to fill up. He poked it again. Such a nice mushy feeling! He pulled at it with both hands trying to imitate Mama’s kneading motions. “Mama, see!” he exulted. Mama saw and let out a cry of distress. “Oh, Charlie I With your dirty hands!”

“Dirty hands?” He opened his little fists and examined them curiously.



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