A Girl Promised to Marry Her Childhood Friend Before Fleeing Poland in 1939 – Decades Later, Her Granddaughter Brought Her a Package and Said, ‘He Says You Must Keep Your Promise’

    I found your Chicago address in 1964.

“We were happy, Stanislaw.”

    “I could see that. You had everything.”

“And you decided I didn’t need to know you were alive?”

“I thought appearing would be selfish.”

I put down my coffee. “You decided that for me?”

    We were happy.

“I was afraid of disrupting your family.”

“You could have written!”

    “I know.”

“You could have let me know you were alive!”

“I know that too.”

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

    You decided that for me?

Then he whispered, “I was wrong.”

“And why involve my granddaughter instead of contacting me?”

“I only had your old Chicago address. When I found Emma’s photograph online, I hoped she could help me reach you.”

    “You could have simply asked her.”

“I know. Apparently, growing old hasn’t made me any braver.”

    You could have written!