Village Squire, 1977-01, Page 14sky. In that moment the last plant went into the ground and
the father said, "O.K. We're done." In the sudden
brightness the dark water shone and the deep green trees
waved and tossed; night's falling made the sky above darker
and darker. They were just rising from their knees when
Tinike• his wife, came running down the path at the edge of
the water.
"Jan." she called. "Jan, een .Mof, a German." She
stopped running as she neared them, but she was walking as
quickly as she could. Her sentences came• quick and short.
"At the door. He says your name. I can't understand him. but
he says your name." She wiped her hands on her apron,
though they were dry, looking at him with dark fearful eyes. a
few stray strands of hair undone and flowing out into the
wind.
All of them knew the fear. Jan Capel saw it in her eyes. the
boys. even Leo. felt it in their father's deadly calm. "Well."
he said. "come on. let's see what it is." They walked together
to the house along the short path by the water. They walked
silently and quickly, the mother first, then the father and his
boys.
"Bas." Capel said over his shoulder, without slowing their
quick stride, "you speak German?"
"Yes. A little."
They came around the corner of the house and there he
was, standing by the door. He was tall and thin, wearing the
uniform of a corporal, holding his hat in his hand. When he
reached the young man. Jan Capel could see his nervousness.
As soon as he saw the man who looked to be the father of this
household the corporal began to speak, spitting out words
quickly in a voice just above normal pitch.
"Jan Capel? Jan Capel? Sein Sie Jan Capel?"
"Yes. that's me. What do you want with me?" Capel said,
recognizing his name, inadvertantly answering the question.
But the German looked blankly at him. twisting his hat in
his hands. He tried again.
"Haben Sie ein Sohn? Joop Capel. 1st er dein Sohn?"
They heard the name. Jan felt Tinike's hand on his arm and
the rising v ind in his ears as they recognized their son's name
on the clumsy foreign tongue. Tinike's voice was flat and still.
"Joop. It's Joop. Something has happened to Joop."
"Bas." the father said. taking his wife's hand. "Talk to
him. Find out what he's saying."
"He only asks if you have son of that name." Bas said. to
reassure the mother. and then he spoke to the German, who
though confused. still stood his ground. waiting before the
circle of people who apparently could not understand a word
he said to them. Then Bas began to try out his halting
German.
"Was wollen Sie mit ihm haben? Er ist nach Deutschland
gegangen."
With a look of relief the corporal let loose his high voice and
was reaching into his back pocket while he talked. "Dies ist
dann seine Familie? Ich habe fur ihr ein Brief von deine
Bruder." he said to Bas, and then to the father and mother,
"von deine Sohn." And he held out a small folded packet of
brown paper to the uncomprehending father.
"It's a letter from Joop." Bas said.
"Oh." Tinike let go a single small sound of all her fear
leaving her.
"1 have to get my glasses." Capel said, looking at the small
tattered packet. "Let's go in. Tell him to come in." he said to
Bas. looking at the German.
They filed together into the big room where all the places
for dinner were set out and the daughters who had watched
from the doorway waited to bring the food out. They found
their father's glasses. and quietly set another place. Then all
were seated and still as their father opened the homemade
envelope and began to read.
"Beste Pa. Moeder, hroers en zusters
I wanted to take quickly this chance to write you a letter. Do
any of my letters come through the mail? 1 think not. There is
no mail coming here. 1 am well. I work for a farmer here now.
so there is enough to eat. He is a good person. It's much
better here than in one of the factories in the city.
Dirk Groeneveld came here yesterday with a broken leg. That
happened somehow on the train. Because his brother Bas has
been y:orking y, ith you he was able to tell me that you are all
■
ii
n
1
SPROULE SHOES in Goderich is
-� having a MOVING SALE
S
ALL WINTER FOOTWEAR 1/2 PRICE
ALL OTHER FOOTWEAR 30% O F F
SALE STARTS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1977
(SAVAGE PUSSYFOOTS NOT INCLUDED IN SALE)
ALL SALES FINAL -- NO EXCHANGE -- NO REFUND
Sproule SHOES
31 KINGSTON STREET GODERICH
524-8505
12, Village Squire/January 1977