15. Sunday
Seven AM is early but Goldberg considers it part of dating a nurse. He dresses in summer seersucker - a light-weight suit & pants with thin blue stripes on a white cotton background.
Sheila is standing at entrance of her red brick 6-story building on a quiet street near the hospital. "Irving, you are handsomer in that seersucker than in a scrub suit!" she comments as they meet.
He realizes he has dressed too formally because she wears a white rayon blouse tucked in at her waist under a summer green cotton skirt with hem midway down from knees; and strap sandals without stockings. Her bare low neck front shows a silver cross on chain. He does not exactly think the words, because he is good mannered but something like After all, she is such an obvious shiksa; why announce it with the cross?
"Irving! I hope you didn't have breakfast because I'd like us to take some breakfast outside after church."
This time he thinks the words exactly After church?
Seeing his look, she says, "Don't worry, guy! I'm not trying to convert you. I'm willing to go to synagogue with you Saturday."
"Oh, Miss McCabe! No! No! I don't mind. Wherever you take me is alright."
"What's with Miss McCabe? From now, Sheila and Irving like Tarzan and Jane, OK?"
Sheila's church is St Anne's Roman Catholic. They walk along shady Wayne Avenue, named for Revolutionary War General Mad Anthony Wayne, then cross the east-west Gun Hill Road, so named because General George Washington bombarded the British from high up the Hill in 1780. They turn left, walking one block up to Bainbridge Ave, where used to be a Bronx River bridge owned by a Mr Bain.
The church - old red brick and 2-story with steeple, and now with big white front doors open and several persons entering - is well known in this formerly lace-curtain Irish neighborhood since invaded and occupied by the Jews.
"Sit back here so we can get out early," Sheila indicates sitting in last row and patting the bench seat to her left on the aisle.
Though of a religious family with father born in Lithuania, Irving Goldberg has only gone through the motions of being a religious Jew. He was bar mitzvah'd at 13, attends synagogue on high holy days and eats kosher from his mother's table. He never discusses religion and certainly would deny being atheist but, practically, he is. It explains his dating a shiksa and going to her church. He is not against being a Jew, not rebounding; he just does not care about religion.
The black clothed priest up front is saying something in Latin, and Sheila has bowed her head and shoulders and is moving lips to his words. Now a nun in black-habit comes down the aisle with a flat open container for donations and Sheila whispers more to herself than to Goldberg
"Gee! What is the sister doing, collecting?" And then as if in explanation: "Well, it is Sister Barbara!"
As the Sister stops by the two, Goldberg hurriedly pulls out the only cash in his pockets, a 20-dollar bill with the 6th U.S. President, Andrew Jackson's face, and Sheila whispers, "Not that one, Irving; here, my George Washington will do!" She drops in her 1-dollar bill and Sister Barbara smiles whispering in heavy Irish brogue "The Lorrd'll thank yee, and me old mither in Eire, too", and moves forward on the aisle.
A few minutes later as they leave, Goldberg sees Stan Pelc with a young woman.
Sheila says as they meet, "Hello, Dr Pelc. Good to see you in church." Turning to the girl she says "And Bren! I didn't know you and Dr Pelc ...?" Then she looks toward Goldberg "I don't think you two have met. This is Irving Goldberg; he works with Dr Pelc." And to Irving. "Brenda Bordon, or as she likes to say when she acts snooty Bordeaux." Brenda laughs, they shake hands and she says"Hey! Have you two eaten? If No, let's go, to Greasy Spoon on Jerome."
"Just what I am thinking, Bren'," says Sheila."OK, with you, Irving?"
Goldberg nods, embarrassed at the use of his first name by the chief nurse in front of his senior officer. Sheila switches subject, "Bren! Did you see Sister Barbara collecting and hear her giving the Lord's thank you followed by her Old Mither's in Eire? Isn't that weird? A nun doing the collection? I wonder what the split is between the Lord and Sister's old mother?"
Brenda and Stan join Sheila in a loud laugh but Goldberg feels embarrassed.
Ten minutes later they are at Greasy Spoon, which is Brenda's name for The Jerome Cafeteria. To continue, click 13.16 Bronx Cafeteria
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