Cape Breton's Magazine

mother died. They had her on the floor on straw, and candles on top of the--you know--in the wake, whatever. I remember that. Those are scenes. She was going to buy fish for our Shabbat (Sabbath). And she came to this house. And I was outside, looking in the window--I didn't go in. But the door, let's say, was here, and the window was here. And I was looking in there, and then she.... She said she wasn't feeling too well. And she went in, the woman gave her some milk. And she had taken the milk like this (like drinking it), bent over--and she was dead,. I happened to look in the window. So I remember that. Then I--there's certain things. And I remember I used to always hang onto her skirts. You know, wouldn't let go of her. And she told me she was going to put me in jail. So she took me once to the police station--you know, not in jail, the police station. Then I promised, you know, I wouldn't do it any more. (Hang on the skirt.) Yeah. So after that--and if I saw a po? liceman on this side, I was on this side! But if I were on that side, and he was coming that way, I was already on this side! So, those are the scenes that I remember. But much more, I don't.... I don't remember very much of my father--I wouldn't know what he looked like. (Though you saw him up till you were 14.) Yeah. Don't remember anything. (Do you remember what your mother looked like?) No. You see, this is a thing that's bothered me all those years. Then she--a week before she died, she told my sister that, "You better learn to cook. I'm not going to be around here next week to show you." Yona Yazernicki's passport photo • Jack Yazer And then I remember, when we went to get the passports to come to Canada--my father went to go to Warsaw, which was 400 kilome? tres from where we lived. Then I remember a couple of people (there)--they were talking to me. This one said, "What are you trying to do with this fellow? You are trying to be smart? Leave him alone," you know. They had a gang in between them. One was going to look after us, while the other guy will rob you. One was going to come in to save you from those two fellows that were trying to harass you, you see. So, I mean, those are the only things that I can remember. (What did your father do as his way of making a living?) I think we had a little candy store. I think so. That's what my brother tells me. I don't remember it at all. Then another time I re? member, we used to go in this field I'm talking about. When the army used to come there some--when they used to kill horses for food. You know, they did it right in the field. And then you'd watch it and everything else. And then they used to, as a kid, they used (to get me) to take the horse to the water. Let's say it would be (as far as) across the street or even farther. So they'd put you on a horse that would throw you off. They'd put you on--but they'd give you a candy. They'd put you on --the horse would throw you off. So if you fell on this side, there was somebody else to put you back on. If you fell on that side, somebody put you back on. You know, just.... So, I mean, those are the things that's still in my.... (That's an interesting collage of memo- ries.) But nothing, really, that (is) a Island Crafts "' Old-Fashioned Charm Is Our Trademark Handknit Fishermen's Sweaters • Kitchen Accessories Ruffled Cushions • Baby Items • Hand Appliqued Quilts Intricate Designs in Pottery • Hats & Scarves for Every Age Group Designer IVIohair Sweaters • Mad Potters Collection • Boats in Bottles Cookbooks • A Good Selection of Local Literature • I Wholesale t Full Line of Souvenirs j 329 Charlotte St. ~ DOWNTOWN SYDNEY - 539-4424 OPEN YEAR ROUND: Monday-Saturday: 9-5; Friday: 9-9 m. SOOTSBURN Tlie Dairy Best MILK THE DAIRY CENTRE P.O. BOX 1240 SYDNEY, N.S. B1P6J9 564-5581 Cape Breton Dairymen ICE CREAM SYDPORT P.O. 80X188 SYDNEY, N.S. B1P6H1 564-2000