Pick'n Season

 Eight Short Stories

Set in a Tasmanian Apple Orchard

GP Mills

Kaddish

 A prayer recited in the daily synagogue services and by mourners after the death of a close relative

Pick’n Season is an exploration of style. After writing the novel, Dance me, I was puffed with all the ‘she saids’, ‘he pondered’, ‘she exclaimed’. I wanted to try to write a story where there was none of that and little guide as to who was saying what except the context.

I hope you enjoy my experiment.

Glorified and sanctified be God’s great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will. May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.

May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.

Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.

May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us

and for all Israel; and say, Amen.

He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.

One by one

The scrunch of scissors cutting into cloth, then the tear

Over the heart

Rabbi Meir embraced the family in his understanding and gave them time before the men picked up the coffin from the table and shouldered it.

Avner’s eyes shone with grief and she almost stumbled, but she was determined that her boy would be buried with dignity and remembered with joy.

Angelika put her arm around her shoulder and the two women walked behind the coffin.

Rabbi Meir led the small procession to the mound of bare earth.

Adam stood watching from the fence, his face ashen. Eve stood silent beside him, willing all her strength to this man she knew she would spend the rest of her life with.

 
"0 Lord, what is man that You regard him, or the son of man that You take account of him? Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow. You sweep men away. They are like a dream; like grass which is renewed in the morning. In the morning it flourishes and grows, but in the evening it fades and withers. The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of special strength fourscore; yet their pride is but toil and trouble. They are soon gone, and we fly away. So teach us to treasure our days that we may get a wise heart. Observe the good man, and behold the upright, for there is immortality for the man of peace. Surely God will ransom my soul from the grave; He will gladly accept me. The Lord redeems the souls of His servants; none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. The dust returns to the earth as it was, but the spirit returns to God who gave it."

The men placed the coffin beside the grave and stepped back.

Rabbi Meir looked around at the grieving family then spoke

.... this small boy was given to his family for such a short time but he bought so much joy in that time. He will be remembered for that joy. How do we fathom God’s will in this time? We cannot. We have to accept and bear. We must search for the good in Isaac’s life. We must search for what he gave to us, for what God gave to us, we will not be crushed by what is taken from us.

For what is life but the giving and the taking away

..... our faith decrees that this service is yekara d'schichba, for the honor and dignity of the deceased. To remember the worthy values Isaac lived by, values given to him by his parents, by his family, by the good deeds he performed, by the noble aspects of his character.

I do not try to comfort you.

Shiva will give you time to grieve and time to heal.

Now is the time for Isaac.

Before we lower the coffin, please take a minute to remember this delightful life.


Silence


Crushing, entombing, unbearable


Silence



A small glimmer of light, a flicking candle given by God



Death is followed by life

Rabbi Meir glanced at Abe

Abe moved to throw himself into the grave, he yearned for death to spare him this pain


Death is followed by life


Abe knew his place was as the head of his family, he owed that to his family, he owed that to his sweet little boy

He looked over to the other men and they bent over to grasp the sash that nestled the coffin in a final embrace

They stood as one man then slowly lowered the coffin to the bottom of the grave

Abe stooped and sunk his fingers deep into the bare earth, then closing his hand he picked up the earth .... letting it trickle onto the coffin

Then Angelika grasping Sarah’s hand stooped over and let the earth cover her boy.

Sarah could not really comprehend what was happening but she knew that thunder had rent her family

her small hand stretched out over her brother’s coffin and let the earth tumble down to dance and play.

Then the other members of the family, one by one picked up the shovel and slowly filled in the grave.

Angelika knew her heart must crack as the earth filled the grave covering her boy.

She clung to Sarah’s hand

 
"O God, full of compassion, Thou who dwellest on high! Grant perfect rest beneath the sheltering wings of Thy presence, among the holy and pure who shine as the brightness on the heavens, unto the soul of Isaac the son of Abraham who has gone unto eternity, and in whose memory charity is offered. May his repose be in paradise. May the Lord of Mercy bring him under the cover of His wings forever, and may his soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life. May the Lord be his possession, and may he rest in peace. Amen."

Rabbit Meir led the family back to the house

Adam stood on the other side of the fence and watched, Eve clinging to his hand


At the house the family was subdued

It was a time of Shiva, those first three days when the mourning was respected, when the intensity of loss could be reconciled with the imperative of life


Even Laura held back


The children of the families were confused and hushed by the grief surrounding them


They were too young to understand and the energy of youth, the energy of life, sought to burst forth


Eventually they all went outside and played gently with Sarah who glanced every so oftern at the bare earth where her brother lay

The other children sought to protect her, even the cousins


This was a time of tears of release


It was a slow time, a time of reflection of inner searching


Intense pain will kill if held onto for too long, it must be let go of, it cannot be clung to, for to hold it would be a selfish indulgence


The three days passed, as they must pass for the living


For the next four days many cups of tea were drunk, many glasses of wine were drunk. Life was talked of again, the future pushed its way into their lives, Isaacs little ways were smiled at, the children started to play and the sounds of boisterous youthful laughter rolled over Isaacs grave, inviting him to play, to be remembered


Father Harry who had spoken to Rabbi Meir came and shared time, bringing the community to the family


Adam stood on the other side of the fence

sheloshim


Abe, Angelika

silence

awkward

self-conscious


Thank you, we know, thank you for your wishes


Angelika stood proud, a mother, brittle, the intense pain had died down to be replaced by agony that welled and subsided she clung to Abe’s strong hand


Solomin and Rita stared at the library, Rita had been unable to replace the book on insects that Isaac had left on the table

I have said goodbye to so many in my life but this is the hardest - even Andrzej, even Andrzej .....



Adam stood on the other side of the barbed wire fence

Laura had left on the fourth day, and now the others said their farewells


Death is followed by life


Sarah went back to school to laugh and play with her friends, the teachers watching carefully and with tenderness

Adam stood on the other side of the barbed wire fence


Trust is a delicate thing, there, unseen, ready to startle away like a frightened gazelle.

Even deep trust, trust built on a lifetime of friendship, can startle away at a glimpse of uncertainty, misunderstanding.

Adam shook Abe’s hand and knew.

The family that had once embraced Adam retreated over the bridge of sorrow and now stood united on the other side.

They hugged Adam, they drank tea with Adam, they told Adam it was not his fault.

BUT IT WAS!!!!!!

Deep in their souls they felt this pain of blame, of wanting to hurt.

Deep in their souls


In the orchard an apple fell to the ground, a Granny Smith, tart, and slowly rotted away unseen in the undergrowth.

A brown snake slithered past

Children’s laughter could be heard in the distance

Then the starter motor

Life, in all its complexity, in all its brutality, continuing .......

Kaddish performed at Auschwitz