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SUE LEE ARRIVED AT the Crib bar in time to have lunch. She had been craving for one of Jacob's famous hamburgers before she left London. “Hi Cuz, welcome home!” Kane said when he leaned over the bar as Sue Lee kissed his cheek. “Did you come in from London or the Bahama’s?”
“London, and I have been looking forward to Jacob’s cooking.”
“Well, young lady, let me see if I can accommodate you. Hamburger with some Fries sound good to you? Jacob asked as he shuffled out of his kitchen to hug Sue Lee. I got your letter about Clara finding her husband after all these years. Would you mind very much if I wrote to her? You see I was in the battle of the Somme.”
“I remember you telling us, and that's when you were shot through the hip,” Sue Lee asked?
“Yeah, and a buddy carried me out of no man's land, just like her husband did. That was incredibly brave you are a wide-open target for the machine gunners. Especially, at night during the artillery fire it's bright as day, and you are silhouetted on the skyline.”
“Would you share that with Clara, she would be proud to know how brave her husband was? Let me write down her address for you.” Sue Lee took the pad, and pencil Kane offered.
“I will do that, and I'm also reading his book to a few of my friends at the VA Hospital. Shorty found it for me. Jacob said before Kane asked where he got it. I'll be back in a jiffy with your hamburger.”
“Waite, isn't that book written in French?”Kane said to Jacob's retreating back as he shuffled to his kitchen.
“Oui, je parle et lis français couramment.”
“What did he say?”
“He said, he reads and speaks French fluently.” Sue Lee answered as she took the beer mug from Kane.
“You never told me that!”
“You never asked!” Jacob replied before the kitchen swinging door shut.
“That was quite an ordeal Clara went through. Kane said after serving another customer. You stated in your last letter, she was planning to go to France. How did that turn out?”
“We don't know yet I believe she there now, but I'm waiting for Jane to tell me. Her mother Elizabeth and Clara have become Pen Pals. Elizabeth was the one who suggested Clara should go where her husband Lance was buried and visit with Abbess Renée.”
Kane went over to a cribbage table to take orders, and Sue Lee helped Jacob arrange a plate with an enormous hamburger.
“Where did you get such a large bun?”
“Smiths Bakery, he wanted me to try them out, let me know, if they don't work I'll go back to the standard size.”
“I'm not sure if I have room for all of this?” Sue Lee said indicating the extra plate with fries. Are your buddies at the VA enjoying Lance’s book?”
“They surely do, especially the boys who served during that time. Everyone remembers the nurses even if they weren't in the hospital and simply saw one from a distance—they were considered as angels in that hell hole!”
Sue Lee knew Jacob visited the hospital often to see his old cronies and try to comfort them any way he could.
“That's very kind of you if you are ever in need of more books I have an extensive collection your welcome to borrow from.”
“That would be grand if you had historical information about California in 1849 during the Gold Rush period?”
“I do, that was one of Uncle Yoshi’s fascinations. He collected everything he could read about those years. Why do you need history about that time?”
“Well, I'm trying to help a friend of mine, Pots.”
“Potty from Potts Hardware on Pacific Street?” Kane said returning from serving a customer. I'm sorry to hear he died recently.”
“He wasn't potty, well maybe a little, not all of the time though.” Jacob said defensively.
Sue Lee held up her hand, “Wait you two, tell me the story before you start arguing!”
“Sorry, Jacob, let's hear it?” Kane said wiping the bar.
“It's was his Grandad, you see, he made a fortune selling supplies to the gold miners in forty-nine. He was about to open another store in Sacramento and had plans to have outlets in the nearby mining towns when he was shot. Potts Grandmother always assumed it was the Hounds, he wouldn't pay the extortion money they demanded.”
“The Hounds, Sue Lee interrupted?”
“Yeah, there was no law back then and a gang of thugs, nicknamed, the Hounds under the command of the Know Nothings. A political party pushing Anti-Catholicism, and anybody who wasn't what they considered American. They took over the city in 49 until they were driven out a year later.”
“Wait, that happened over one hundred years ago. How is Potty involved now?” Kane asked knowing how his friend could run off on another tangent during an explanation
“Before he got sick, Potty’s ownership to the land and store were being challenged by a group of lawyers. They claimed the city wants to improve the neighborhood.”
“I read in the paper about the Fillmore area, but nothing was mentioned about Pacific Street,” Kane said before walking to the other end of the bar to take an order. Jacob waited until he returned.
“Well, he went to the city office and presented his deed and all the documents they requested. He thought that was the end, but then he was harassed by city inspectors. Finally, that stopped. A few weeks later he was hospitalized. His son Al arrived at the day he died. Now Allen is selling the store but has had two attempted break-ins, both through the office window.”
“Jacob, how will the history of 1849 help your friend, Al,”Sue Lee said before biting into the giant hamburger.
“Ya see, that was the office Allen’s Grandfather was shot in. He was a collector and stored his antiquities in the store. Somebody is going to a lot of trouble, dontcha think? Anyway, I told his son Al about, Island Art Inquiries perhaps he should have Pots stuff apprised, maybe the attempted robbery have something to do with the past?”
“That's interesting, what have the police found out,” Sue Lee asked wiping the ketchup from her face?
“They say it was kids pulling pranks! The first time they broke the glass. After that, he barred the lower window, but the second time they dug a deep hole in the alley outside the office. The city filled it in after the garbage collection couldn't drive through.”
“This hamburger is delicious Jacob. We have a wedding to attend to, but after that, I will go through Yoshi’s collection and bring over a few books for you, and I will tell Jonathan about this tomorrow when he arrives, okay?”
“Okie-Dokie, I need to get back to my kitchen,” Jacob said while looking at the food orders Kane handed him.
“Did you receive the package we sent from London?”
“Yes, and I'm glad it's not what you two wanted to buy! However, it would have been interesting driving across the Golden Gate with an elephant in the back of my pickup.”
“That store clerk at Harrods pet department in London didn't know how to wrap one. We wanted to know if you started at the trunk or the tail? Jane insisted it was the tail, but I wanted to start at the trunk.”
“Why not compromise, and start in the middle!” Naomi said sneaking up behind Sue Lee.
“Naomi, you look great. That dress is fantastic! She said while hugging her. Sit, sit, isn't this material we sent from Harrods?”
“Yes, Thank you, I would like to get more, so far I have made this dress and one for my shop display window, and people are already asking about it. Now, what about this elephant?”
“Well, Jane and I wanted to buy one for a wedding present for Carl and Betty. It would have been handy to the winery, but after the clerk explained how much they eat. We decided they couldn't afford the upkeep. He then proposed a glass elephant statue made to order for Harrods' customers by an artist living in London. Wait until you see it, it's beautiful! I'll try to describe it. It's a black baby elephant standing on hind legs, holding a signature wine glass high, in her trunk.” Sue Lee stretched her arm up to demonstrate. “He's standing in the center of a tray surrounded by twelve C&B Winery glasses.”
“Excellent, I'm glad Joni sent their logo in time for you to have the engraving done.”
“When is Jane arriving?”
“She will be here tomorrow along with her uncle, Jonathan. He's meeting with the San Francisco museum people.”
“I do hope he comes along to Bodega, I would like to meet him. He sounds like such a fascinating man.”
“Mary insisted we bring him along they too want to meet him. I know Danny will be pleased to see him. It was never discussed during the war, but I'm sure the two of them were in communication.” Sue Lee paused to check the time on her watch. “I’m sorry I can't stay and chat I need to get back to my apartment and pay Linda. She's been cleaning for me today before my company arrives.”
“I wonder if I should hire her, my place is a mess,” Kane said while taking Sue Lee’s empty plate away.
“It's your book collection, you just need more shelf space, talk to a contractor cousin. Gotta run, see you two in Bodega.” Sue Lee waved at Jacob as she left.