GOODBYE WARSAW--HELLO, MEMPHIS!!

    


"What a marvelous day we had!" Ania, Ben, and I said to each other after we reluctantly said goodbye to Bernard, our limo driver.  We entered Polonia Palace Hotel. It was 10 pm. We were back soon enough to watch the Warsaw New Years Eve celebration and fireworks. We stopped at the desk. 

"A happy surprise awaits you in your suite. Someone from Memphis is waiting for you there. He showed his drivers license to verify he is from your city. He has brought flowers."


"Oh, Larry is here!! Guess he came to thank us for a job well done today," I said...a little glad, a little annoyed!


When we entered the room, not Larry, but someone else was there.
Ania exclaimed, "It's him, it's him. I told you, I TOLD you." She looked away as she grabbed my hand.


The man said, "Please Ania. Please. Don't turn away. You know how much I love you..."


So here was Mr. Z____. He looked more pathetic than anything, not like a pervert!?! I suddenly felt compassion for this poor man, who was crying. 

I could see Ben and I were thinking alike on this.


Ben said, "I think Ania has something to say to you."
Mr. Z___opened his eyes and looked up.


Annia looked surprised at what Ben had said. She dropped my hand and stood straight. It is as though a light had gone off in her brain.   





As Ania looked straight at Mr. Z_____, she said in a clear young lady voice, not a child's voice, "Mr.  Z____, I will never be able to thank you enough for being such a wonderful teacher. "   He cried harder.   "I am sorry you think you are in love with me" Ania continued.  "I could never ever  love you in a romantic way. Yet I will never forget you, because you made me the pianist I am and without you I couldn't have gotten this scholarship. Thank you so much. Every note I play will remind me of what a great teacher you are." She did not shed a tear, she did not tremble, she did not look afraid."

Then Ben did a strange thing. He lifted his cane straight up toward the ceiling and just held it that way as he talked. Not in a menacing way but in a way that showed he was serious when he said, "Now, right NOW, on New Years Eve, in this room you are going to give up your fantasy about Ania. You have almost ruined her life. But she is stronger now and will never be afraid of you again. You obviously have a lot of love to give..I hope it will be to an adult woman who can love you in return."Ben lowered his cane. 


 I said, "We had better leave now and go downstairs or we will miss the fireworks. Mr. Z____, you are welcome to stay here as you think things over. We will see you again after the New Year comes in." 

Downstairs there was a ball going on with glamour as its theme.  Some people were dressed in evening clothes. It was all so fancy. We walked outside. We went back to the Old Town Square, just a mile away. Throngs of people gather there for the general festivities and especially the fireworks. I was thinking that so recently Ania had run away from this place because she was so frightened.    
"What happened, Ania? How did you suddenly become so brave?" I asked.
Ania answered, " You know, when I kicked that robber, it was like I was kicking Mr. Z____!!" The fireworks began.
                                          
As we walked back to the hotel, the whole sky was gorgeous all the way. People were dancing and hugging and laughing.



Across the street from Hotel

At midnight we went back into the hotel looking for something to eat.


We sampled many things, even a little of the goose we had been avoiding. Then we looked at each other and headed back to Bojangles one last time. Yes!  Hamburgers!!


We ate at that table near the window. Soon the smoke from the fireworks was gone. 2011 was gone. We  did not dread going upstairs.


We found our suite empty. There was a note on the coffee table.


                        Dear Ben, Annie, and Ania,
                                     I guess I cried it all out tonight. 
                         I am leaving and won't ever
                         bother Ania again. I have been
                         offered a job teaching at a junior
                         college in Indiana beginning in
                         two weeks. I didn't want to leave
                         Memphis in case Ania returned.
                         Now,I will take it. I wish
                         you all well.......Z


Ben said to Ania, "Now you are free to do what you want. Go home to Memphis or stay for one semester in Warsaw.


An idea came to me. "Ania, I have a dear friend who lives alone in a large and beautiful home in Memphis. She is in Rosario, Argentina, right now helping in a soup kitchen. Carmine will be back in the spring; I assure you that she would love to have you share her home. She plays the piano by ear, herself, and loves music. She has a grand piano  and would love nothing more than hearing you play it. We can buy your return ticket now for the end of this semester, if you like this plan."


I got ready for bed; then I looked in on Ania. She was already asleep, looking so peaceful. We knew she would be fine. So much had happened in such a short time.


  Ben and I went to sleep also. When we awoke, we were at home in Memphis.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!
ben and annie in memphis 

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