Letter to Poline
From Tsillie
No envelope extant
[Kishinev to New York assumed]
July 5, 1920
My dearest Poline,
I was happy to receive a letter at last. Why did you not write me? I thought you have me forgotten these last three years. I had nothing. All people receive many letters from America, and we have letters, pictures from Israel, Eli, uncles and aunts – only from you nothing. It is said that the French or English letters go better, write me some, I understand both. Send me the pictures from your family, from the little Annette, Rosa with his [her] husband; papa is very glad to hear something from Madam Valger, he knows her very well; she is his cousin. The best compliments from us Madame Valger and her family. Poline, do you know I am aunt! Lisa has a boy of two months. Mon compliment, I kiss you tenderly.
Polinka! It’s enough for me to write in English. I am pretty sure it is not easy for you to understand this part and I am not going to make it hard for you. To understand is easier than to write. If you only knew how happy I was to receive a letter from you. It was not a joke. You didn’t write for so many years I even didn’t know that you have a child already. Your father didn’t write anything to me. I also don’t know anything about Nina. Your Dad sent me his business card with an invitation to visit with him if I want to because somebody told him that I had an intention to go there. Do you know what, my dear? I’ve been dreaming for a long time to get away from here. I wanted to go to Paris in the Winter. I wanted to see my brothers and you, but I didn’t know where they were and where you were. I wish you knew how boring life here is and we wasted our lives as idiots. They make fun of us, of our feelings, of our thoughts, of our wishes. We don’t see anybody. We don’t meet anybody. No human beings. I don’t have any acquaintances or friends. We live like loners, like in a very distant village. An illusionist is the only thing we have in this city for fun. But don’t think it is only me who lives that way. All young ladies live like that. No better. When I thought that I would leave, I started learning English. But since then, I see that I have less and less chances to leave for many different reasons and because of that my mood dropped. I feel a deep apathy and dull indifference towards everything that surrounds me. I am at home alone to take care of everything around here because Mom and Olenka left for a vacation. Lisa along with Misha and their child Grishenka live here. They have a bedroom on the second floor above our children’s room. Israel wrote that he might come home to see us. We would be very happy. However, I forgot to tell you that Elik and Israel got together and Israel went to Elik’s wedding because he got married already. They waited for me also, but I didn’t go. Sonia Selebovskaya sent a greeting to you. Do you remember her? She was here very often before and now she’s going to this boy. What should I write about relatives and friends? It is going well for Zeydel the same way as it was going before. Zhenya was here asking for money for poor people. Aunt Suka and her family are well. Everything is the same with them. Grandmother is living with Aunt. The older daughter of Suka’s Soybel got married and she has a boy, who is six months old. Everything is the same with Fanya and Shika. Grisheka and Lizochka are going to school now. Pool Aunt Malka died and a week after her husband died and a boy 12 or 13 years old. Last year Dad’s sister died in Africa. Uncle Yankel Perchkovich died all of a sudden eight months. Roza Goldenberg lives the same way she used to and she is crazy as usual. Sometimes I see brother who seems to be working at the drug store. Kunya is very rich now, but she is still the same as she was and she also goes to the evening school. Kalikhchtein, even though he’s very fat, he is sick and he spent ten months in bed this year because of his kidneys. His older sister died last year from consumption. Klara Izner is working every day and she sends a hug to you. Now, my dear, please write everything about yourself, about your little one. Please tell us what Aron is doing. It is a kind of a depression here, and they are expecting the prices to drop soon. How is your health? How do you look like? Please send me a picture also. In general, please write about everything. I want to see you to talk to you. I’ve been dreaming about that all the time. I thought I would see you by this moment, but it didn’t happen. Be healthy and happy and for God’s sake please write. And please write about all friends as you promise, about Huma, Kulchinskiy, and so on. I kiss you and your little girl. Your Tsillie. A big hug to Aron. Shika is looking at your picture and telling me that everybody is in America now, but he’s stupid and stayed in Kishinev.
