More with Horst Cahn

Horst Cahn was upset. He handed me a slice of the U.T. for me to read. It appeared a Senator from Tennessee compared our health plan to the Holocaust. I told him the Senator probably meant 'catastrophe' instead of Holocaust  but that did not calm Cahn down. Nothing could today. He wished to vex his anger using me as a sounding board. (Webster's dictionary defines Holocaust as the complete destruction of people.) 
   "Look here George. Look at what the kids from the Oceanside school sent me. Some have written letters to my home...Looks as if I will be going to many schools now."
    He then retrieved a clipping from the United Tribune. "Look at my tattoos. All that senator needs to do is go to Auschwitz, then he will understand the true meaning of Holocaust. Auchwitz was the only camp that tattooed its prisoners."     
   "Roosevelt did not provide visas for my family to immigrate to the United States. They stopped all immigration...My sister moved to a Polish town and bore a baby...When the Germans invaded Poland, one soldier threw my sisters baby against the wall. When she tried to get it, he stuck her with a bayonet."
   Again we sit at Table 5, the Miracle table in the Little Oak's Cafe in Encinitas. Horst Cahn, Thomas and Gregorio are there, besides good old me, or most of me-that is. I lost another tooth to time again, but at least there  is no more pain. 
    Lady Barbara is home, nursing a chronic back problem. She had curvature of the spine when a child without any correction. Abe is still in the hospital. We are having Chicken Bearnasise with wild rice, Asparagus and a Spinach salad. I made a tuna sandwich instead. 
    "Your daughter did not call, George. I will be in the hospital next week for a heart exam. Like I told you, my heart was never the same after Auschwitz. I have already had two splints placed in my heart. My doctor wishes to put dye into me to find out the problem."
     The strawberry short cake was served up. I cut the strawberries for Gregorio and began to eat my tuna sandwich. A helper asked Gregorio to have two more permits ready for his van to pick him up. Gregorio is our Mad Russian who conducted an orchestra while Joe Stalin listened. He could easily be mistaken for Santa Claus. (Stalin ruled Russia during and after the war.)  
    He smiles while I cut his food. His walker is to his side. He removes his dentures from a plastic container and begin to eat. He enjoys good food, but is excited by my conversation with Horst, the only living survivor of a Bunda camp in Auschwitz. I refill the coffees for Thomas and Gregorio and sit down to hear more Cahnisims. Horst today has my complete attention. I have clipped and pasted what he said today. I know you are bored with food but eat up every mouthful he has to say. 

   "Horst, how did you get to the United States after the Russians liberated you."
   "My wife Elizabeth and I stayed in Bremenhafen, Germany. I worked as a Chef and we bore our two sons there. There names were Eric and Dan. The American Council gave us permits to enter the United States. The W. Haan, a military ship, took us to Ellis Island. Many carried papermache suit cases  to carry their clothes. Their possessions fell to the floor."
    What year did you sail for the United States? 
    "It was 1939 we came here with my parents. I decided on Rochester, New York to live. I worked in a Country Club there as a baker. I had worked back in Germany as a baker. After the sick baker returned to work, my boss hired me as the chef." (He meant 1948.)
    "Both of my kids went to a Jewish school there. We stayed about five years in Rochester before I decided to fly to California. At first we took an apartment in La Jolla, and then decided on perhaps Oceanside. I wished to open my own Delicatessen."
    "Do you know what Delicatessen means, George?"  Hell if I know. "Well 'essen' means food and 'delic' means delicious."
     Why didn't you begin the business in La Jolla? (Horst answers by using the hard 'J' sound rather than the Spanish one.)
    "The people were too snobbish. And besides, one daughter began college in Northern California. I thought about Oceanside and decided on Cardiff. It was called Cahn's Delicatessen, and located on Buckingham Street."
     His mind now wandered to Big John. He wished to begin another deli in Cardiff. His deli is called the Tip Top, and is well known in Carlsbad. 
    "I told big John to begin one in Carlsbad. Why should we compete with each other. I also warned him not to put so much salt in his food. He has huge hands and a hand-full meant to much. He took my advice." (I believe that Big John may also have come from Essen,Germany. I eat there all the time.) 
    "My restaurant sat only 60 people. It began to flourish when I added another ingredient for my cheese cake. Everyone from miles around telephoned their orders.  I made enough to send all my kids to college on that cheese cake." 
     Horst finished his salad plate. He wore a white cap and a nice sports combination below it. ( call the Encinitas Senior Center for lunch or if you wish to speak with my buddy, Horst Cahn.