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Uncle Lou
by Leo S
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It was Thanksgiving, and Lou was at dinner in his niece's house. He saw her children and grandchildren, all eating happily. He talked contentedly to them, happily amusing the children with jokes and magic tricks. He calmly pretended to pull a pickle out of one of the children's ears. Believe it or not, this was a man who had been right in the center of WWII. He had managed to keep happy, though. Seeing all of these people gathered together, happy and healthy, reminded him of the war. Ah, he remembered it now.
It was the beginning of World War 2. He had just arrived in Germany, and was waiting to be placed in a unit. The sweat trickled down his face as he hoped not to be put in the front lines. He was assigned to the 4th infantry and taken to training. Even though he had been a very small, mild mannered man at home, he was given the full training. He was taught to use his rifle, to throw grenades, and to defend his foxhole. He was turned into a good fighter and soldier.
The turkey was delicious. Lou always loved his niece's turkey. Oh, and the stuffing. The way it was piled sort of reminded him of Normandy.
His infantry had been through some of the bloodiest battles of the war. They were at the battle of the bulge, the shores of D-Day. His unit arrived in Normandy a few days after D-Day, so he had to go past many scattered, maimed bodies to get to the fighting. Ugh, he thought, I hope that I don't end up like that. After those battles, he was rewarded by being taken out of the battle and being given the job to place all of the incoming replacement soldiers in their units. He was given this job because he knew how to type (at home he had been an accountant). Back then this was a rare skill in a man.
However, he preferred life at home. Looking around the Thanksgiving table, he admired the greatly homey scene that was before him. Oh, how he had liked to come home, thought Lou. He came home, celebrated the war being over quietly with his family, and went back to his normal mild-mannered life. He then got a job.
It had been years since he got his job at the I.R.S. He had been such a good worker that he had gradually moved up to the top of the job. If somebody was to be tried for not paying their taxes, he was the last person that they would see before the trial. He was famous in the I.R.S. for being honest. However much they tried, nobody could bribe him. He was always very honest.
Lou remembered the days in the I.R.S. at home. People seemed to have known him as generous, but not without good reason.
There had been a boom in immigration. It being a major port city, many of the immigrants had come to Baltimore. Having heard that Lou was very generous person, many of the immigrants had come to his to ask for money. Hmm, he thought, if I give these people money, they will probably be able to survive until they are able to get a job. At this prospect of saving lives, Lou was happy to give these people money.
Thanksgiving was almost over. Lou was contented, full, and tired. It reminded him of life with his wife. She had been a great cook.
After Lou had come home from the war. He had married a very nice girl. Her name was Judy. Even though they had never had any children, he had been very happy with her. However, she died when she was only in her 50's. Lou was so sad that he never married again.
The great thanksgiving night was over. As Lou went home, he was happy. He had made his great-great nieces and nephews laugh and amused the adults at the party. That was all that he wanted to do and it gave him great pleasure. To make others happy.
It was the beginning of World War 2. He had just arrived in Germany, and was waiting to be placed in a unit. The sweat trickled down his face as he hoped not to be put in the front lines. He was assigned to the 4th infantry and taken to training. Even though he had been a very small, mild mannered man at home, he was given the full training. He was taught to use his rifle, to throw grenades, and to defend his foxhole. He was turned into a good fighter and soldier.
The turkey was delicious. Lou always loved his niece's turkey. Oh, and the stuffing. The way it was piled sort of reminded him of Normandy.
His infantry had been through some of the bloodiest battles of the war. They were at the battle of the bulge, the shores of D-Day. His unit arrived in Normandy a few days after D-Day, so he had to go past many scattered, maimed bodies to get to the fighting. Ugh, he thought, I hope that I don't end up like that. After those battles, he was rewarded by being taken out of the battle and being given the job to place all of the incoming replacement soldiers in their units. He was given this job because he knew how to type (at home he had been an accountant). Back then this was a rare skill in a man.
However, he preferred life at home. Looking around the Thanksgiving table, he admired the greatly homey scene that was before him. Oh, how he had liked to come home, thought Lou. He came home, celebrated the war being over quietly with his family, and went back to his normal mild-mannered life. He then got a job.
It had been years since he got his job at the I.R.S. He had been such a good worker that he had gradually moved up to the top of the job. If somebody was to be tried for not paying their taxes, he was the last person that they would see before the trial. He was famous in the I.R.S. for being honest. However much they tried, nobody could bribe him. He was always very honest.
Lou remembered the days in the I.R.S. at home. People seemed to have known him as generous, but not without good reason.
There had been a boom in immigration. It being a major port city, many of the immigrants had come to Baltimore. Having heard that Lou was very generous person, many of the immigrants had come to his to ask for money. Hmm, he thought, if I give these people money, they will probably be able to survive until they are able to get a job. At this prospect of saving lives, Lou was happy to give these people money.
Thanksgiving was almost over. Lou was contented, full, and tired. It reminded him of life with his wife. She had been a great cook.
After Lou had come home from the war. He had married a very nice girl. Her name was Judy. Even though they had never had any children, he had been very happy with her. However, she died when she was only in her 50's. Lou was so sad that he never married again.
The great thanksgiving night was over. As Lou went home, he was happy. He had made his great-great nieces and nephews laugh and amused the adults at the party. That was all that he wanted to do and it gave him great pleasure. To make others happy.
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