the first story

Jacob

“ We don’t want Jewboys in this school,” Toby Smith said, and his gang repeated it. They
had Jacob cornered. Toby spit in his face . “Jewboy, Rosenblum, Roseybutt .”

“Knock it off !” The voice belonged to Emil Ryan, a big redheaded boy Jacob had seen
in Mrs. Wrights’ sixth grade class. Emil took a stand between Jacob and Toby’s gang, his fists
tightly clenched and turning white. Toby hesitated, but when Emil took a step forward Toby and
his gang backed away. “We’ll get you, Jewboy!” Toby said as they left.

“You okay?” Emil asked.

“Sure,” Jacob said wiping Toby’s spit off.

“You just moved into town, right?” Emil asked.

Jacob nodded.

“Where you from?” Emil asked.

“Los Angeles,” Jacob replied.

“Wait for me after school and we’ll go home together.”

After dinner that night, as his mother was cleaning up, and his father was drinking a cup
of coffee, Jacob asked his parents why people hated Jews.

His mother threw down her dishcloth. “I knew it!” she cried. “I knew there’d be trouble
here. I just knew it!” She turned to her husband. “Didn’t I tell you!” Without waiting for an
answer she went to her son, grabbed his chin with her still wet hand and turned his face from side

1



to side. “What happened today? Tell me!” She had a cigarette in the corner of her mouth. She
took it out and set it in a nearby ashtray, then stared indignantly at her husband, who took his
glasses off and wiped them on his shirt before replacing them and looking intently at the boy.

“I swear to God, I’ll kill those little bastards, every last one!” Jacob’s mother grabbed
her cigarette from the ashtray and puffed angrily. Then she looked at her husband and exclaimed
irritably: “Hugh, say something!”

“Evelyn, we haven’t even heard if anything happened yet.”

“Of course something happened!” she replied with a note of sarcasm.

Hugh Rosenblum turned to his son. “Did something happen?”

“Some boy spit on me and called me names,” Jacob answered quietly.

“I knew it,” his mother snapped.

Hugh Rosenblum rubbed his mouth meditatively and pushed his glasses up his nose
where they came to rest in a red crevice near the bridge.

“Do you know who Jesus Christ is?” asked Hugh. The boy nodded affirmatively. “Well,
a lot of the believers in Jesus think the Jews handed him over to the Romans to be killed.”

“Who are the Romans?”

Hugh Rosenblum looked at his wife for a moment and shifted uneasily in his chair. He
opened his mouth to speak when Evelyn demanded: “Never mind. Just tell me the name of the
little bastard who spit on you.”

“Enough!” Hugh cried, jumping to his feet so suddenly the boy thought there was some
immediate danger in the room.

“We should have stayed in Los Angeles!” Evelyn said contemptuously. “We never had a

2



problem there. Your family always had problems here! All the Jews did.”

“My father needs me,” Hugh said, returning to his chair and reflexively stirring a spoon in
the remainder of his coffee.

“Humph!” his wife replied. “He wants cheap labor, that’s all.”

Jacob looked at his father and waited for an answer to his question about the Romans, but
his father was staring into his coffee cup and his mother told him to go to bed.

Despite her threats, Jacob’s mother did nothing. The next morning, Emil was waiting for
Jacob at the corner, and they walked to school together, and then home again after school.

“My father is German,” Emil explained one day, though Jacob had never asked for an
explanation for Emil’s kindness or his intercession. “He still talks with a German accent. So
even though he’s a rancher- like your grandparents and your father- and he’s been here since he
was a boy, some people don’t like him just because he’s German. And then there’s this,” he said,
a look of amusement crossing his face, as he pulled at his wiry red hair. “My mother’s Irish....”

The two boys became inseparable. They walked to and from school together, ate their
lunch on the same bench, and played in one another’s company. But one Spring morning Emil
wasn’t at the corner where he usually waited for Jacob, and Jacob had to walk to school alone.

By 10:00 o’clock that morning Mrs. Wright had to open the windows in Jacob’s
classroom. She fanned herself, making the “Whew,” sound. She was a heavy woman and Jacob
could see the perspiration on her face and neck, and under her arms. “That’s better,” she said
patting herself with a hanky. A butterfly flew in on a little breeze, making everyone laugh, and
Jacob heard the mechanical grind of farm equipment somewhere in the distance, the low of cows,

3



the bleating of spring lambs, roosters crowing, and in the schoolyard trees, blackbirds. During
first recess Jacob went to the office and asked about Emil. “Sick,” said Mrs. Hansen from behind
her desk, between bites of coffee cake. “Won’t be coming today.” She slapped crumbs off her
hands.

Rather than going to the playground, Jacob went back to his room, opened a book and
waited for class to start.

At lunchtime Jacob sat by himself on the bench where he usually sat with Emil, near the
foursquare diamonds. He took off his sweater and started eating. He was watching children play
foursquare when something hit him on the side of the head and knocked him off the bench. His
sandwich flew out of his hand and his thermos, which had been between his legs, fell on the
ground and shattered. Jacob looked over to see a basketball. He reached for it but a pair of
hands snatched it away.

“Sorry,” said a voice.

“Don't say sorry to Jewboy,” cried Toby Smith. Jacob looked up and saw a circle of faces,
darkened by the sun overhead.

“Hey, where’s Emil?” asked Toby. “Where’s your bodyguard?”

Jacob didn’t answer. The ball hit Jacob’s head, knocking it sideways.

“Jewboy, I'm talkin' to you. Where’s your friend?”

Jacob’s head began to throb and his stomach turned. Toby and his gang closed around in
a tighter circle.

“I said-”

“Sick,” Jacob answered.

4



Toby bounced the ball off Jacob’s head again.

“Too bad,” Toby said thoughtfully.

“C’mon, let’s go play,” came Ollie Hunt's voice.

“Shut up, Ollie,” Toby shot back, and the ball hit Jacob’s head again, causing it to jerk
sideways.

“You know,” said Toby matter-of-factly, “I told you one day you'd get yours. I think
maybe today's the day.” He eyed Jacob with a sidelong glance. “Right after school,” he said
slowly, “the Jewboy dies.” Toby laughed and drew his finger across his throat.

“Teacher coming,” called a voice.

Jacob watched the ground as the waiving ring of shadows disappeared.

“Death,” whispered Toby, laughing as he went. “Right after last bell.”

“Dinosaurs,” said Mrs. Wright, wiping the sweat from her face with her hanky.
“Pterodactyl, Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurs Rex, and all the rest. Think now, here’s a riddle: They
are all different, but can anyone tell me what they have in common?”

Mrs. Wright pushed her hair in place while she looked around the room at the few raised
hands.

“ Yes, Ellen.”

Jacob knew the answer but couldn’t remember. His head hurt and his eyes burned. He
considered going to the school nurse, and saying he was sick. She’d call his mother to come and
get him. It was Friday. Emil was sure to be back on Monday. But the last bell came before
Jacob could make up his mind what to do. His head throbbed as he pulled his backpack onto his

5



shoulders. He stood by his desk a moment, pretending to look for something while the others
left. Then he pushed open the door to his classroom and looked up and down the hallway. No
one was there. He went to the bathroom, and when he emerged into the sunlight on the
playground, Toby and his gang were not there either. The school sat on a hill. Jacob began
walking down the long driveway to the street, and as he rounded the corner he saw Toby and the
others waiting. He stopped and considered another route, but one of Toby’s gang pointed
towards Jacob and they all walked up. Toby patted Jacob familiarly on the shoulder.

“Where'd you like to die?” he asked, smiling.

Jacob pushed Toby’s hand off his shoulder. “If you promise to leave me alone I’ll show
you something,” Jacob said, drawing back. “But you have to promise.”

“What?” Toby shot back, angrily. “Tell me now or I’ll beat the crap out of you right here.”

“You have to promise to leave me alone after I show you,” Jacob said firmly.

“No promises. And you'll tell me anyway,” Toby replied, and he pulled Jacob’s ear. Jacob
screamed with pain.

“Shut up baby!” Toby commanded as he looked around.

“I want to see it,” said Danny Muldoon, “whatever it is.”

“You have to promise-”

“Where is it?” Toby demanded.

Jacob didn’t answer. He looked at the faces around him: fat, freckled, Ollie Hunt,
white-haired Danny Muldoon, Jimmy Simmons with his sharp nose and angular jaw, and Allen
Thatcher with his little, motionless blue eyes.

“What do you guys think?” asked Toby.

6



The boys were silent for a moment, then Jimmy Simmons said: “I want to see it.”

“So do I,” said Allen Thatcher, “if it’s good.”

“Alright Jewboy,” said Toby. He took Jacob by the shoulder and put his face close to
Jacob’s. “This better be good, or else.”

Jacob shrugged Toby’s hand off, and said: “C’mon,” and began walking in the direction
of his home.

One day, when Emil couldn’t play, Jacob went to explore a deserted old barn in a field
halfway between school and his house. The barn was dirty, and deserted, and not very
interesting, until Jacob climbed a ladder to the loft. As he reached the top he heard a terrible
screech. He was so frightened he nearly fell off the ladder. Then something came at him and he
gripped the ladder rails and ducked. He felt a wind over his head, and turned just in time to see a

barn owl shriek again before flying out a hole in the roof. When Jacob’s heart stopped pounding
he climbed into the loft and found a nest in the corner with six eggs.

The next day Jacob took Emil to the barn. A week later the eggs hatched, and over the
next several weeks the boys watched the owl babies grow. They were shockingly ugly. Their
little heads were like pale masks of death and their wings were featherless. Their round bellies
stuck out as though they had each swallowed a marble. As they grew they acquired more fuzz
and weight, but still had the death’s head look. And when Jacob and Emil stood at the top of the
ladder to watch them, and the mother was not around, the baby owls would hiss and run together
towards them: six little death's heads with their raised, fuzzy wings marching and hissing,
shaking their open beaks menacingly.

7



It was to see the owl babies that Jacob brought Toby and his gang. But as much as they
prodded him, Jacob told them nothing as they walked along the road. Finally Jacob stopped
across from the barn and looked over the field. Toby’s eyes followed the line of Jacob’s eyes.

“That?” said Toby sarcastically. “You brought us out here to see that?” Toby raised a fist.

“Wait,” Jacob said. He walked down the gully off the road and squeezed between the fence
wires.

“This better be good,” Toby warned again as he and the other boys followed.

When they were all in front of the barn Jacob put his finger to his lips and quietly opened
the door. Inside there was old straw and scattered dry dung on the floor. An empty feeding crib
stood to one side. Shafts of light came through the cracks in the redwood siding, the holes in the
roof, and the loft door.

“Stinks in here,” said Ollie Hunt. Toby gave Ollie a look, and then one to Jacob.

Trembling, Jacob put his fingers to his lips again and took off his backpack. “Stay here,”
he whispered, and went up the ladder.

When Jacob got to the top, the six little death's heads stood together in the corner of the
loft. The mother owl was not there. Seeing their perpetual intruder the owl babies raised their
wings and commenced their march, emitting a guttural hiss, their white beaks shaking.

“What was that?” whispered Jimmy Simmons.

Jacob slid down. All the boys had apprehensive looks on their faces.

“Go see for yourself.” Jacob said.

Jacob expected Toby to go first, but he only looked suspiciously at Jacob, and Jimmy
Simmons jumped on the ladder. When Jimmy got to the top, Jacob heard the baby owls begin to

8



hiss. Jimmy nearly leaped off the ladder.

“Holy Shit!” he cried, “What are they?”

Jacob smiled faintly, but said nothing. He looked at the faces of the other boys, which were
pale, except for Toby’s face. Toby was pushing his lower lip hard into his teeth with his finger
as he looked at the other boys. Jimmy raced down the ladder, his eye’s glowing.

“You oughta see!” he said.

Toby made no reply. Allen Thatcher went up next and after him the other boys followed
one by one, each jumping off the ladder with an exclamation of delight, until only Toby was left.
He had been chewing his lip and did not realize he had drawn a small trickle of blood which was
drying at the corner of his mouth. He stared coldly at Jacob, pushed him aside and mounted the
ladder. When he came to the top he stood motionless and said nothing. The boys could hear the
owl babies hissing and exchanged smiles, but Toby did not move. He stood there for a long time,
and when he looked back down the ladder at the expectant faces of his friends, his own face was
so dark it seemed to exude an odor. He came slowly down, jumped off the ladder, and began
methodically looking around . He went to the wall and kicked at a siding board until it broke
loose. Suddenly Jacob realized what he was doing.

“No!” screamed Jacob, throwing himself at Toby. Toby pushed Jacob aside and went up the
ladder. Jacob leaped to his feet and scrambled up, grabbing at Toby’s pant legs, but Toby kicked
Jacob loose and Jacob fell to the hard dirt floor, striking his head. He tried to get up but felt
dizzy. Struggling, he pulled himself up by a ladder rung and looked upward. Toby was standing
in the loft with the board raised above his head.

“No!” Jacob screamed again. He turned to the other boys. “Help me! Do something!”

9



The boys stood as if hypnotized. The board came down with a percussive, cracking sound,
followed by the cry of a baby owl. Jacob raced up the ladder as Toby continued to swing the
board and the baby owls squawked horribly. When Jacob got to the top Toby turned with the
raised board and looked at Jacob. Toby’s teeth were showing in a peculiar smile. The nails in
the board were wet with blood. Two owl babies were opening their beaks, gasping, their eyes
wide; all the rest were still.

Suddenly the mother owl flew in through a hole in the roof. Toby swung the board in her
direction, and by luck he hit her squarely on the head and she fell heavily to the barn floor.
Screaming, Jacob raced down the ladder. He hoped she was only stunned and he could protect
her, or save her, but when he knelt beside her it was clear she was dead.

When Jacob stood up Toby was standing next to him. His eyes were distant, and his
cheeks were slack and colorless; his upper lip twitched in an odd way, with a trickle of dried
blood still at the corner of this mouth.

“I told you one day you’d get yours,” he said, distantly.

“Toby, let’s go,” Allen Thatcher suggested cautiously.

“Shut up,” said Toby. He turned to Jacob and raised the board above his head. “I think I’ll
kill you now.”

“Toby-,” began one of the boys.

“Shut up!” Toby snarled, and turned to Jacob. “I told you what was coming, didn’t I,
Jewboy! Didn’t I promise you’d get yours?” He stood with the board hovering above Jacob, his
eyes bulging, his labored breath washing over Jacob’s face.

“He got his,” said Ollie Hunt nervously. “C’mon, now. Let's go.” He took Toby's arm but

10



Toby pushed Ollie away.

“Think you know everything, Jewboy?” said Toby shoving his face directly into Jacob’s.
“Well you sure as hell don’t know me, do you?” He laughed. “You don’t know anything about
me!”

Jacob was as transfixed as a mouse in the gaze of a snake. Toby’s eyes reddened. “Prepare
to die,” Toby uttered.

Jacob closed his eyes and felt sick to his stomach. He heard the whistle of the wood as
Toby drew the board back. Then he heard WHAP! but felt nothing. Stunned, he opened his
eyes to see the board coming to rest against the barn wall. Toby spit on Jacob and walked out the
open door. The other boys quickly followed.

“He got his,” Jacob heard Toby say as he walked out. There was exhaustion in his voice,
like the weariness of a man who had an unpleasant job to do, but had done it to his satisfaction.

When they were all gone Jacob knelt on the floor of the barn, picked up the mother owl and
cradled her in his hands. Her body was still warm. He held her for a moment, then put her
down, climbed into the loft, brought down all the baby birds and placed them beside her.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, tears forming in his eyes. He wiped his nose and eyes on his
shoulder, then took the stick Toby had used to kill the owls, and dug in the soft earth of the barn
floor, made a grave, and covered them. Then he stood up in the dim light and collected his
books, which had been scattered in the melee. His hands were sticky with the owl’s blood. He
wiped them in the dirt, but it did not help.

On the way home they hung lifelessly at his sides, as if they did not belong to him at all.