Page 16 - letmetellyou

Let Me Tell You . . . A Memoir
Hedwig Church on Lagrange Street that evening from which my Hedwig Church on Lagrange Street that evening from which my
sister had disappeared. Anyone who has ever been to a Polish sister had disappeared. Anyone who has ever been to a Polish
wedding knows what a wild and festive occasion they can be and wedding knows what a wild and festive occasion they can be and
this Polish wedding was no exception. St. Hedwig Church sits this Polish wedding was no exception. St. Hedwig Church sits
almost on the curb on Lagrange Street and the evening was almost on the curb on Lagrange Street and the evening was
unusually warm and humid and my sister was enticed by the unusually warm and humid and my sister was enticed by the
youngest perpetrator to step outside for a breath of air. He was youngest perpetrator to step outside for a breath of air. He was
also sixteen. My sister had an impeccable reputation, as the FBI also sixteen. My sister had an impeccable reputation, as the FBI
investigation confirmed, and was an exceptionally good dancer. investigation confirmed, and was an exceptionally good dancer.
He and she had been dancing the Polka all evening. As they He and she had been dancing the Polka all evening. As they
talked, she did not notice the car parked closely at the curb, talked, she did not notice the car parked closely at the curb,
probably because Lagrange Street was always lined on both sides probably because Lagrange Street was always lined on both sides
with parked cars and probably because the young man was leaning with parked cars and probably because the young man was leaning
against it. Suddenly, the curbside rear door of the vehicle flew against it. Suddenly, the curbside rear door of the vehicle flew
open and a man emerged and, with the help of the younger man, open and a man emerged and, with the help of the younger man,
threw my sister into the car, screaming, as the vehicle sped away. threw my sister into the car, screaming, as the vehicle sped away.
At two o’clock that morning, my mother’s worst fears were At two o’clock that morning, my mother’s worst fears were
confirmed. My sister had been brutalized, raped, and discarded in confirmed. My sister had been brutalized, raped, and discarded in
rural Michigan several miles from the Ohio State line and had rural Michigan several miles from the Ohio State line and had
crawled to an isolated farm house from which the local police were crawled to an isolated farm house from which the local police were
called. I never discussed this tragedy with my sister. I didn’t have called. I never discussed this tragedy with my sister. I didn’t have
to. I saw her that morning when they brought her home brutalized, to. I saw her that morning when they brought her home brutalized,
broken, and raped. I must have been in shock. All I could think broken, and raped. I must have been in shock. All I could think
was that this could not be happening to my sister; to my family. was that this could not be happening to my sister; to my family.
These things happen to other people, not to my family. But, they These things happen to other people, not to my family. But, they
do. do.
My sister convalesced at home from her injuries; physical, My sister convalesced at home from her injuries; physical,
emotional, and spiritual. My mother was constantly with her. My emotional, and spiritual. My mother was constantly with her. My
mother made her, when my sister was ready, share the tragic mother made her, when my sister was ready, share the tragic
experience with her and when it came time for my sister to return experience with her and when it came time for my sister to return
to school, to reenter life as it were, my mother made her go even to school, to reenter life as it were, my mother made her go even
though my sister begged her not to do so out of the fear and shame though my sister begged her not to do so out of the fear and shame
of facing her teachers and classmates and friends. I don’t know of facing her teachers and classmates and friends. I don’t know
that my mother did the psychologically correct thing. But, I do that my mother did the psychologically correct thing. But, I do
know that my sister went on to live a normal life. She married, know that my sister went on to live a normal life. She married,
bore three children, raised them to adulthood, entered the bore three children, raised them to adulthood, entered the
workforce as a production worker to supplement her family’s workforce as a production worker to supplement her family’s
income, got involved in Union politics, became a UAW benefits income, got involved in Union politics, became a UAW benefits
rep, died at too young an age from cancer, and was respected and rep, died at too young an age from cancer, and was respected and
honored at her funeral by hundreds of UAW workers whom she honored at her funeral by hundreds of UAW workers whom she
had personally helped and counseled during her life. She was and had personally helped and counseled during her life. She was and
remains one of the heroes in my life. remains one of the heroes in my life.
As subsequent chapters will reveal, my family was what As subsequent chapters will reveal, my family was what
today would be called economically disadvantaged but which we today would be called economically disadvantaged but which we
considered and called poor. Like many millions of other poor considered and called poor. Like many millions of other poor
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