Go Down to Silence by G.K. Belliveau

Author:G.K. Belliveau [Belliveau, G.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8041-5165-8
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2014-04-30T00:00:00+00:00

When Jacob met Herman, he hardly recognized him save for the suit. He was now plump with ruddy cheeks and a nicely groomed beard. As they ate their lunch, Herman told Jacob about the camps, about his escape under the barbed wire that lacerated his face forever, about the long, lonely stay in the forests of Poland, and of his displacement to America. Jacob was the first soul to offer him a kind word, clean clothes, and warm food. “Yes, it was you who brought me back to the land of the living. It was you who made me realize life was worth living again.” Herman wiped his eyes, those wonderful translucent blue eyes. “Forgive me, my friend. It is the first time I have told my past to anyone. It is the first time I have considered all that I was and all that you did for me.”

Jacob was silent, thinking of his own past, his own demons that whipped about to poke and jab, to gloat and chortle over him.

Herman explained he had gone from Jacob’s store with a new purpose. He left the garment shop and walked over to his uncle’s jewelry store and asked for employment. Now he had a steady job and was making the most of the life God had given him to live.

Jacob and Herman saw each other every week after that. It was Herman who encouraged Jacob to marry again, to have children, to live life. He was there when Isaac was born. He was there when Isaac left. He stood in the crowd as Liza’s casket was lowered. It was Herman who finally persuaded Jacob to seek reconciliation with Isaac.

Herman was the first person Jacob told about his prostate cancer. It was a cool evening, and Herman sat out on his screened-in porch, sipping coffee and reading the sports page. Jacob came in and sat down. He remembered the cool air, the creaking of insects, the shadows of night approaching. It all seemed to him unreal and subjugated to the doctor’s news.

“The doctor says a year, maybe two.”

Herman carefully folded the paper and placed it on the floor. He stared long and hard at his friend.

“We—you and I—have lived long, good lives, Jacob. We should not fear death, for God has blessed us more than we deserve.” He paused. “I am truly sorry for the news.”

Jacob stared into the darkness and whispered, “I know you are, my friend. And I know you are right.”

They were silent for some time.

“I have decided to go ahead with what we discussed,” Jacob said. “I will call Isaac and ask him to go to Belgium with me. We are all leaving this world now, it seems.”

“You must call him, Jacob. You cannot leave your family without a legacy. No, you must go through with it. It is the right thing to do.”

“Yes,” Jacob whispered. “Now that there is no time. It is now or never.”

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