AllMum'sLetters
佚名/Anonymous
TothisdayIremembermymum』sletters.ItallstartedinDecember1941.EverynightshesatatthebigtableinthekitchenandwrotetomybrotherJohnny,whohadbeendraftedthatsummer.WehadnotheardfromhimsincetheJapaneseattackedPearlHarbor.
Ididn』tunderstandwhymymumkeptwritingJohnnywhenheneverwroteback.
「Waitandsee—we』llgetaletterfromhimoneday,」sheclaimed.MumsaidthattherewasadirectlinkfromthebraintothewrittenwordthatwasjustasstrongasthelightGodhasgrantedus.ShetrustedthatthislightwouldfindJohnny.
Idon』tknowifshesaidthattocalmherself,dadorallofusdown.ButIdoknowthatithelpedussticktogether,andonedayaletterreallydidarrive.JohnnywasaliveonanislandinthePacific.
Ihadalwaysbeenamusedbythefactthatmumsignedherletters,「CeciliaCapuzzi」,andIteasedheraboutthat.「Whydon』tyoujustwrite『Mum』?」Isaid.
Ihadn』tbeenawarethatshealwaysthoughtofherselfasCeciliaCapuzzi.NotasMum.Ibeganseeingherinanewlight,thissmalldelicatewoman,whoeveninhigh-heeledshoeswasbarelyoneandahalfmeterstall.
Sheneverworemake-uporjewelryexceptforaweddingringofgold.Herhairwasfine,sleekandblackandalwaysputupinaknotintheneck.Shewouldn』thearofgettingahaircutoraperm.Hersmallsilver-rimmedpince-nezonlylefthernosewhenshewenttobed.
Whenevermumhadfinishedaletter,shegaveittodadforhimtopostit.Thensheputthewaterontoboil,andwesatdownatthetableandtalkedaboutthegoodolddayswhenourItalian-Americanfamilyhadbeenafamilyoften:mum,dadandeightchildren.Fiveboysandthreegirls.Itishardtounderstandthattheyhadallmovedawayfromhometowork,enrollinthearmy,orgetmarried.Allexceptme.
Aroundnextspringmumhadgottwomoresonstowriteto.Everyeveningshewrotethreedifferentletterswhichshegavetomeanddadafterwardssowecouldaddourgreetings.
Littlebylittletherumouraboutmum』slettersspread.Onedayasmallwomanknockedatourdoor.Hervoicetrembledassheasked:「Isittrueyouwriteletters?」
「Iwritetomysons.」
「Andyoucanreadtoo?」whisperedthewoman.
「Sure.」
Thewomanopenedherbagandpulledoutapileofairmailletters.「Readpleasereadthemaloudtome.」
Theletterswerefromthewoman』ssonwhowasasoldierinEurope,ared-hairedboywhomumrememberedhavingseensittingwithhisbrothersonthestairsinfrontofourhouse.MumreadthelettersonebyoneandtranslatedthemfromEnglishtoItalian.Thewoman』seyeswelledupwithtears.「NowIhavetowritetohim,」shesaid.Buthowwasshegoingtodoit?
「Makesomecoffee,Octavia,」mumyelledtomeinthelivingroomwhileshetookthewomanwithherintothekitchenandseatedheratthetable.Shetookthefountainpen,inkandairmailnotepaperandbegantowrite.Whenshehadfinished,shereadtheletteraloudtothewoman.
「HowdidyouknowthatwasexactlywhatIwantedtosay?」
「Ioftensitandlookatmyboys』letters,justlikeyou,withoutaclueaboutwhattowrite.」
Afewdayslaterthewomanreturnedwithafriend,thenanotheroneandyetanotherone—theyallhadsonswhofoughtinthewar,andtheyallneededletters.Mumhadbecomethecorrespondentinourpartoftown.Sometimesshewouldwritelettersalldaylong.
Mumalwaysinsistedthatpeoplesignedtheirownletters,andthesmallwomanwiththegreyhairaskedmumtoteachherhowtodoit.「Isomuchwanttobeabletowritemyownnamesothatmysoncanseeit.」Thenmumheldthewoman』shandinhersandmovedherhandoverthepaperagainandagainuntilshewasabletodoitwithoutherhelp.
Afterthatday,whenmumhadwrittenaletterforthewoman,shesigneditherself,andherfacebrightenedupinasmile.