Printer-friendly version

“What does a man have to do to get some respect around here? Clean the toilets?” Murray asked in a sarcastic tone of voice.

“No, just give your wife a foot massage.” Misook joked back at her husband.

Rachel then added. “Naomi and I would like a pony too.”

Altered Fates- Shocking Part Two

By Danielle J

Synopsis- Clyde Heppner while not totally believing Misook Epstein’s story, agrees to take her on as a client.

I need to thank Puddin in a big way for her help with this story.

After Mi-Sook greeted both Mr. and Mrs. Epstein, the questions began. “How was your trip?” “How do you like the United States so far?” “How do you feel?”

Mi-Sook answered all these questions while being aware of the importance it was for her to make a good first impression on the Epsteins. Underneath the barrage of questions and welcomes, Mi-Sook noted coolness from her in-laws towards their son’s new bride. She wasn’t the type of woman they were hoping Murray would marry.

“Did you speak to your in-laws at all before coming to the United States?” Clyde asked.

“Just once. As you know, it is very expensive to call from here to South Korea or vice versa.”

“Yes, I know.”

“I did write the Epsteins a couple of letters. Murray would enclose photos to go along with my letter.”

“It’s different when you first meet someone face to face,” Clyde remarked.

Misook nodded her head in agreement.

Mr. and Mrs. Epstein lived just off Kings Highway in Brooklyn.  The house had three floors, and the room Mi-Sook would be staying in with her husband had been Murray’s when he was growing up.  On the walls were posters of New York sports athletes. A baseball mitt lay on a bookshelf.

There was also a double sized bed in the room. Just like the one Mi-Sook had in South Korea.

In addition to the bedroom, Mi-Sook and her husband would have their own but adjacent and unconnected bathroom during their stay in Brooklyn. As Rachel Epstein grew bigger each day inside her mother, Mi-Sook found herself making more and more bathroom trips. A private bathroom would be more than useful.

After Murray put down their suitcases, he said. “Small but cozy?”

“Yes, but now I think I am married to a high school student.” 

Murray laughed before coming over to Mi-Sook and hugging her from behind. As he placed his hands under his wife’s pregnant belly, Murray said. “I’m all grown up now. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Mi-Sook said before pausing for a moment. “Do your parents like me?”

Murray gently spun his wife around and looked her in the eye. “Right now my Mom and Dad need time to know you.  Like you also need time to know them. Everything will be fine.”

Mi-Sook wanted to believe what Murray was saying. Maybe she was letting her emotions get the better of her.

“Before I came upstairs, Mom asked me when you last saw an obstetrician. She wants what is best for you, me, and the baby.”

Before going to bed that night, Mi-Sook tried thinking like her in-laws. They saw the many differences between their son and his wife. Cultural, race, religion, maybe they even worried their daughter-in-law only married Murray in order to get a green card. 

Mi-Sook had fears of her own.  Would her baby be born healthy? Would she be able to convince that Maine Rabbi of her new religious faith? Mi-Sook decided to attack her fears and that of her in-laws. She would show the Epsteins and Rabbi Shapiro of Bangor Maine that she could be a good and faithful Jewish woman and a loving wife to Murray. 

Murray and his parents spent the first few days introducing her to friends and family. On the Monday after their arrival at JFK, the Epsteins spent most of a day touring the island of Manhattan. Ernest Jackson had never been to that city in his life, so Mi-Sook found it very exciting as she visited Times Square, Broadway, Central Park, and other places.

At home, Mi-Sook spent the first few days disproving some of the notions Mrs. Epstein had about her.  The mother acted like she was surprised to learn her daughter-in-law knew what a refrigerator was alone knew how to use ‘advanced’ household gadgets like a toaster or washing machine.

Mi-Sook did need help from Mrs. Epstein for some tasks. “Can you teach me some of the foods Murray likes to eat?”

Mrs. Epstein said, of course, but also made a comment about her son being too thin. Like it was Mi-Sook’s fault. Mi-Sook was going to need time to improve her relationship with Murray’s mother.

Before going to sleep, Murray said something interesting to Mi-Sook. “Dad told me that ever since we got engaged, Mom has been watching M*A*S*H episodes in preparation for meeting you.”

That began to make a lot of sense when taking into account how Mrs. Epstein was treating Mi-Sook. The popular television sitcom depicted 1950’s Korea, which was nothing like how Murray and Mi-Sook had been living in 1974.

“I understand now.”

Murray hugged his wife extra tight. “Don’t blame Mom and Dad, they were just trying to understand you.”

“Mom and Dad never met a Korean woman before. They wanted to know what to expect from me.”

Murray laughed. “Dad told me about the last episode that was on, and it’s particularly ironic in light of the fact that we’re about to become parents.”

“What happened?”

“A Korean woman with a small baby boy came to the M*A*S*H unit asking that a doctor perform a bris. Since there was no Rabbi around, a Catholic priest was the one to officiate.”

“Tell Mom not to worry. If I have a son next year, I will have a Rabbi, not a priest at the bris.”

Murray instantly cracked up at what his wife had just said.  

The day after he took Mi-Sook to Manhattan, Murray had to make his first trip to Loring Air Force Base. The base was near the Northeastern Maine town of Limestone and over six-hundred miles from Brooklyn. In order to complete the trip in one day, Murray got up at 4 a.m. in the morning. 

Mi-Sook got up at the same time as Murray. She prepared her husband toast and coffee for breakfast. Murray said he preferred driving on a light stomach.  

“As soon as I get checked into a hotel tonight, I will call you,” Murray told Mi-Sook while they both sat at the kitchen table.

“Please do that. I’m going to miss you. Drive safely for me.”

“I will, honey.” 

Murray had a week before he had to officially report to Loring. In the meantime, he needed to get a lot of personal matters accomplished. For one thing, he and Mi-Sook would need a place to live. Also Murray had to check on whether his personal goods had been delivered to Loring yet. When a US military member gets orders for Korea, his possessions are put into storage before they depart for their new assignment. In theory, the goods are supposed to be a waiting for a military member at their next U.S. assignment when they get back from Korea, but the reality is that delays sometimes happen.

With Mi-Sook pregnant, Murray wanted everything to be in order before they started living together in Maine. First they would have to endure a few days of separation.

Mi-Sook remained busy while her husband was gone. Mrs. Epstein took her daughter-in-law along as she went to a friend’s house for a weekly game of Mahjong. As she didn’t know how to play the game, Mi-Sook spent her time either watching television, getting food and drinks for Mrs. Epstein and her friends, or sometimes talking to these people.

Murray called that evening to say he arrived in Maine safely. The next day he called Mi-Sook again to say his personal goods were already at Loring and that he had begun the process of finding a home for them.

“Today, I filled out the needed forms for us to live on base. The base housing office said we may hear from them very soon. Do you want me to wait a few days and see what will happen or should I just find an apartment off base?”

“Murray, you do what you feel is best. Will we see each other this weekend?”

“Absolutely. I will meet up with you, Mom, and Dad sometime Friday morning. Can you hang on till then?”

Mi-Sook said she could. Friday was going to be a big day for her. It was the day Mi-Sook would learn if her conversion to Judaism would be accepted.

“Rabbi Moon in Seoul was very strict,” Misook explained to Clyde. “When he learned I would soon be immigrating to the U.S., he passed the buck to the closest Rabbi to where Murray and I would be living in Maine. Rabbi Leonard Shapiro of the Beth Israel Synagogue in Bangor was the one to make the final decision on my conversion”

“How did that go?”    

Mi-Sook’s appointment with Rabbi Shapiro and the other members of the Rabbinic Court, the beth din, who would rule on her conversion was for 12:30 in the afternoon. The original plan was for Murray to be there, but early on Friday morning he was notified by the Loring housing office that there was a home available for the couple. After talking it over together, Murray and Mi-Sook decided it would be best if he stayed at Loring and for the Epsteins to take her to the appointment with Rabbi Shapiro.

The home of Rabbi Leonard Shapiro and his wife Yael was in a different part of Bangor from where the Beth Israel Synagogue was located.  Mi-Sook was greeted at the front door by Mrs. Shapiro.

“Come on in,” Mrs. Shapiro said as she held the door open for her guests. “I hope you found the directions I gave you easy enough.”

“Yes, we did.”

“Come this way, my husband is waiting in the study for you.”

Rabbi Leonard Shapiro, his Uncle Solomon  a retired Rabbi himself, and a  third man named Stanley Friedman were where Yael said they would be. After brief introductions were made, Mi-Sook and Murray’s parents were all asked to sit down on a couch. Rabbi Shapiro, his Uncle, and Stanley Friedman sat down in leather chairs directly across from the Epsteins, only a coffee table and about five feet separating all of them.

Leonard Shapiro looked to be in his early forties. He was a tall man, one or two inches taller than Murray Epstein at least, was of medium build, wore glasses, and had a full head of medium brown hair. 

His Uncle Solomon was seventy years old at least. He wore no glasses, was about the same height as Mi-Sook’s mother-in-law, was heavyset, and had a thick gray beard. The top of his head was almost entirely bald. There being just a small amount of white hair on the sides and in back. 

Stanley Friedman was a tall thin man with brown hair and who wore thick black glasses. He reminded Mi-Sook of an American doctor who treated her in South Korea. 

Before her husband got down to business, Yael Shapiro played hostess. “What may I get everyone?”

Mr. and Mrs. Epstein asked for coffee. Mi-Sook said she was fine and didn’t need anything.

Rabbi Shapiro spoke up. “Mrs. Epstein, you are an expectant mother and eating and drinking for two now. What would you like my wife to get you?”

“I’d like some coffee too please.  Cookies too please, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“Not at all. I’ll be right back,” Yael Shapiro said before leaving the room.

Only small talk was made for the next twenty minutes. Rabbi Shapiro talked to the Epsteins about their trip up from Brooklyn, the unusually warm weather they were having in Maine then, how Mi-Sook was enjoying the United States so far, and other things.

While this went on, Yael came back with the coffee and refreshments. Mi-Sook’s mouth began to water as soon as she gazed at the plate of cookies brought in for her.

“Help yourself, Mrs. Epstein. My wife baked them personally this morning,” Rabbi Shapiro said. Mi-Sook took one of the cookies for herself and bit down on it. They were quite delicious and she soon couldn’t stop eating them.

Mrs. Epstein wanted an opinion on her daughter-in-law. “Rabbi Shapiro, do you think Mi-Sook is too thin? I worry she isn’t eating enough.”

Since her arrived in the United States, Mrs. Epstein had made repeated comments about Mi-Sook’s weight. Rabbi Shapiro fielded the mother-in-law’s query.  “Mrs. Epstein, I don’t really know. All pregnant mothers gain weight differently.”

Mi-Sook’s mother-in-law began to talk about some Shapiros she knew in New Jersey, when Rabbi Shapiro interrupted her. “Mr. and Mrs. Epstein, my Uncle, Dr. Friedman, and I wish to speak to Mi-Sook now.  In private.”

Mr. and Mrs. Epstein left without protest. Rabbi Shapiro advised Mi-Sook’s in-laws as they left the room that he would need about an hour with their daughter-in-law.

Before they got started, Rabbi Shapiro asked Mi-Sook if she needed anything. Mi-Sook asked if she could use the bathroom. While that was happening, Yael Shapiro had a brief conversation with her husband.

A few minutes later, Mi-Sook was back in the room with Rabbi Shapiro, his Uncle Solomon, and Stanley Friedman. Solomon Shapiro, while always looking alert and attentive to what was being said, hadn’t spoken at all yet. The retired Rabbi would sometimes nod his head in reaction to the conversation in the room.

Mi-Sook was very nervous but concealing it well. She was wearing a peach-colored maternity gown with white trim. The rest of her appearance was conservative in nature. She was wearing just a modest amount of makeup and had a Timex watch on her left wrist. As for jewelry, all Mi-Sook had on were stud earrings, her gold wedding band, and a Star of David pendant that Murray had bought her two months back and which she wore around her neck at all times.

Before they got started, Rabbi Shapiro told Mi-Sook to eat more cookies if she liked. “Yael and I have a son named David. David is about your age and away at college. He likes the cookies my wife bakes also.”

“I apologize for my husband not being here,” Mi-Sook said shortly after everyone was settled in again.

“That isn’t necessary, Mrs. Epstein. We know he is busy taking care of his responsibilities as your husband right now,” Stanley Friedman replied,

Rabbi Shapiro began speaking. “It was just last month that I received a letter from Rabbi Min-Soo Moon of the Beth David Synagogue in Seoul South Korea. He says you came to him in June of this year expressing your desire to convert to Judaism.”

“Yes, that’s true. I began taking lessons from Rabbi Moon in June.”

Solomon Shapiro spoke up. “How long did you say you knew your husband?”

“It has been only a year this month. We got married last April. That is not long ago…”

“Mrs. Epstein,” Rabbi Shapiro said. “I know that your experience with your husband is small. But all I need to know about your love for him is before my eyes now. When are you due?”

“The doctor in Seoul said February 10th. Murray and I are very excited to be parents.”

“As you both should be.  Now tell me about your past religious beliefs.”

Mi-Sook said that her pre-marriage religious beliefs were somewhat informal. She believed in a God and Creator, but little more.

“Are your parents Buddhist?”

“My mother and father, if they have religious beliefs, didn’t express them to me or my brothers and sisters. We didn’t go to any church or temple. Other family members of mine were Buddhist. So were most of my friends.”

The conversation then turned to when Mi-Sook decided to convert and why.

Mi-Sook said, “One reason was that I wanted to strengthen my marriage to Murray by sharing the same religious beliefs.”

“But my desire to convert isn’t all related to my husband. I’ve come to realize that God had been missing from life for too long. Now I want to practice his laws and commandments to the best of my ability the rest of my life.”

“Before meeting your husband, how much did you know about Judaism?”

Mi-Sook was honest. “Very little.  I knew that people of the Jewish faith were considered God’s chosen people.”

“When did you begin observing our practices?” Rabbi Shapiro asked.

“It was the first Sabbath after our honeymoon. Murray taught me the lighting of the Shabbat candles and the prayer that goes along with it. Just before sunset, I light two candles to mark the beginning of the Sabbath. I also began observing the same dietary laws as my husband shortly after our coming home.”
.
Mi-Sook then told of the days she began thinking of conversion. How she talked to Murray about it, and shortly afterwards began studying about Judaism.

“There was so much for me to learn and I have studied hard. If I gave all my waking moments to learn my faith, I would still fail.”

Rabbi Shapiro spoke. “Mrs. Epstein, none of us will ever comprehend all the mysteries of God.”

Mi-Sook talked some about how she was keeping Jewish holidays and observances with the help of Murray.  The only tasks she did on the Sabbath were those permitted by the law and required to ensure a festive experience.

Stanley Friedman didn’t speak too often. Now he had a question for Mi-Sook. “Did you fast for Yom Kippur?”

“No, I didn’t. Like now, I was pregnant and I consulted both Rabbi Moon and my physician in Kunsan. My doctor recommended that I not fast. I ate very lightly for Yom Kippur but drank as much water as usual”

“That is good, Mrs. Epstein,” Stanley Friedman replied. “The practice of fasting on Yom Kippur is a commitment to God, but so is your becoming a mother.”

Mi-Sook only talked with the beth din a little while longer. After all questions appeared to have been asked and answered, Rabbi Shapiro, his Uncle, and Stanley Friedman began conversing in Hebrew.

It was only at this time that Mi-Sook felt the most scared. If these men said she couldn’t convert, how would it affect her marriage, her children, and the life she had built for herself? Mi-Sook wouldn’t stop practicing Judaism no matter what that day’s outcome was. She would just have to be extra strong in the days and years ahead.

“Welcome to our community Mrs. Epstein. At your convenience, we can make arrangements for the immersion, tevillah, in the living waters of the mikveh and the formal ceremony, even today if you’d like.”

“Can we do it now? If it is not too much trouble.”

“Yes, Mrs. Epstein, we can do it immediately if you wish. The shomeret, also known as the  mikveh lady, at the Synagogue’s mikveh is standing by.  We would have to get moving now, though. The ritual has to be completed before the Sabbath begins.”

Mi-Sook immediately fought back tears; everything was coming together so quickly and her heart was filled with joy. At the same time the unborn child inside her gave Mi-Sook extra strong kick, which was one more reason to rejoice, despite the temporary discomfort. “Yes, I would like to do the Mikveh today,” she said, her jaw trembling.

Before showing her in-laws back in, Rabbi Shapiro gave Mi-Sook time to ask him some questions. Now that her prayers were answered, she almost didn’t know where to start.

She asked questions mostly related to the upcoming birth of her child, if it was true that it wold be born Jewish, and if there was anything she should be thinking about as a new mother.

“Well, yes, your child will be born Jewish. If it’s a boy, there is something special, not that having a girl isn't special, too, and I just had a very nice couple have a bris performed for their son Aaron,” Rabbi Shapiro said as he got out of his seat and went over to his desk. There he checked his rolodex. After finding the card he needed, he recorded some information on a piece of paper. Then the Rabbi came back over and handed it to her. “The Jacobsens, Harold and Judith. The husband is a Captain in the Air Force and stationed at Loring. I wrote down their telephone number. Call them when you get up there, and say you got their number from me. They’re both very nice people.”

Mi-Sook put the slip of paper in her purse. “Thank you. All I have now is Murray and his family. I know no one here but them.”

Uncle Solomon spoke. “You said your parents aren’t speaking to you at present?”

“No, they did not like my marrying an American.”

The retired Rabbi shook his head. “Mrs. Epstein, may I suggest you continue talking to your parents. If calling is too expensive, then write your parents letters. Send photographs along also, especially after you give birth.  Try to reconcile with your mother and father by showing you have not forgotten them.”

Rabbi Shapiro then spoke. “Listen to Uncle Solomon. He is a very wise man and I have learned much from him.”

“Did you write or call the Hans since then?” Clyde asked Misook back at the diner.

“The Hans don’t have a phone, but I’ve written them between 3-6 letters a year since 1975. I have always included photographs with my correspondence. One time Rachel wrote a short letter to her grandparents. We haven’t gotten back even one reply.”

Now it was time for Clyde to shake his head. “That’s terrible.” 

“You and your husband were married at the U.S. embassy you said?” Rabbi Shapiro asked.

“Yes, we were. Murray and I plan to have another wedding ceremony sometime next year so we can invite the family and our friends and have a formal kiddushin and nisu'in according to the laws of Israel. We haven’t started on the details yet.” 

He nodded his approval, but then said, “I think it is best if we leave now, Mrs. Epstein. You may ride with Yael and your mother-in-law over to the synagogue if you like.  When you get there, the preparations will start at once.

The Epsteins were waiting outside the study for Mi-Sook.  She was so happy and quickly blurted out her news. “I passed.”

Yael Shapiro came into the room and congratulated Mi-Sook also. In her hands was an aluminum tin can full of cookies.

“These are for you,” Yael said as she handed Mi-Sook the tin can. “My husband says you found my cookies very delicious.”

“Thank you,” Mi-Sook replied. “I can’t stop eating them.”

“I’m glad you like them.”

Yael, Mi-Sook, and Mrs. Epstein were on their way to the synagogue a few minutes later.

“I can hardly wait to tell Murray about my good news.”

Yael had a message to convey as she drove to the synagogue. “Your husband called a half an hour ago. He’s driving down here and said for you and his parents to wait for him at your hotel. Your husband said he should be there around four to four thirty.”

Most of the car ride to the synagogue was done in silence, so Mi-Sook could mentally prepare herself for the immersion in the Mikveh. Mr. Epstein and the members of the beth din would be coming in separate cars.

As they pulled into a parking space and everyone began to get out of the car, Yael spoke to Mi-Sook. “Did you know according to the Talmud, the souls of all converts were actually present at Mount Sinai when the Torah was given?”

Mi-Sook gave a brief nod of her head. “Yes, I do. It's part of the Torah portion for the Shabbat just before Rosh Hashanah, Parshah Nitzavim, ‘Not with you alone do I seal this covenant, but with whoever is here, standing with us today before the Almighty our God, and with whoever is not here with us today.’ I’ve never forgotten it."

While studying her new faith back in South Korea, Murray had pointed out this verse and she’d almost immediately committed it to memory. The Parshah ended with these words: ‘I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You shall choose life, so that you and your offspring will live; To love the Lord your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him.’ Mi-Sook had seen it as a sign from God, because it was her exact situation, and the choice before her, both then and now.

Once again, Mi-Sook had taken Mrs. Epstein by surprise. Yael Shapiro smiled as all three women walked towards the Synagogue’s entrance. “If you examine the verse more closely in Hebrew, you would learn something amazing. The last letters for the Hebrew words ‘but with whoever is here’ spell out the name Yitro. Yitro was the father-in-law of Moses and a convert himself.”

Mi-Sook said, “No, I didn’t know that, but I can see how it fits in with what I know.”

“One day, Mi-Sook, you and I can have a good talk about that and some other things I think you will find fascinating. That will have to wait for another day, though, because we really need to get going now.”    

The mikveh lady was waiting and ready when Mi-Sook walked inside the synagogue. She was shown straight to the preparation room. The room was small. In it were a shower stall, a small table with a mirror hung behind it, a basket full of ladies toiletries, and a shelf to put clothes and personal belongings on.

On the shelf where she would place her purse was a small basket. Mi-Sook placed an envelope with a check for eighty dollars in it. This would go to the mikveh association to help pay for the upkeep of the mikveh, and to pay for any supplies Mi-Sook would use that day. She added a twenty dollar bill in another envelope as a special thanks to the attendant who would help her today. 

Once she was alone and the door was closed, Mi-Sook began to undress, shedding not only her clothes, but her wedding rings, her Star of David pendant and other jewelry. She was coming to the living waters naked, just as she’d been born.

After everything was off her body, Mi-Sook stepped into the shower. She washed her hair and body thoroughly. When done she began to dry herself off. Her body would have to be free of all soap, lotion, and makeup before entering the mikveh.

Mi-Sook didn’t have a lot of time but she didn’t feel hurried. Instead a calmness was coming over her as she combed her hair in preparation. That morning she had paid a visit to a Bangor beauty salon and had her hair considerably trimmed so her head felt lighter than normal, as if a weight had already been lifted from her. The night before, she’d taken the time to remove all her fingernail and toe polish, just in case the conversion ritual could be performed today.

When Mi-Sook felt her body was ready, she opened the door.  The Mikveh Lady and Yael Shapiro came straight away into the room.

“You forgot your earrings,” Yael said to Mi-Sook at once. The error was quickly corrected.

Mi-Sook stood there totally naked as the two women inspected her, which didn't bother her at all. Communal bathhouses were still an important social activity in Korea, so she had memories of the original Mi-Sook’s experiences; the friendly chatter of women’s voices, the old agimas who gave facials and massages for a small fee, and everywhere naked women helping one another bathe and wash their hair.  Yael had already advised her that the beth din would wait outside while the mitzvah was taking place. Mi-Sook would only see them again when the mitzvah was completed.

The mikveh lady pointed out that she’d missed a tiny bit of nail polish on the fingernail of her left forefinger.  With a quick swab of nail polish remover on a cotton ball, and another hand washing, the nail passed inspection a moment later.

Mi-Sook was now ready for immersion in the mikveh. Still naked, she left the preparation room with Yael and the shomeret. Mrs. Epstein was waiting in the outer room.

Mi-Sook had asked Murray’s mother to witness her immersion in the mikveh. She hoped the shared experience would strengthen the still evolving relationship between her and Mrs. Epstein.

Biblical regulations require a convert to Judaism to immerse themselves in living water from a natural source. The word mikveh literally means a collection. Mikvehs aren’t just used for conversions, but for the use of men and women to achieve ritual purity. For Jewish women, this was most commonly done after menstruation or childbirth or before their getting married. A smaller mikveh is also used for the ritual cleansing, of new dishes and utensils to make them suitable for preparing and serving kosher meals.

Mikvehs are so essential to Judaism that a new community is required to build a mikveh before building a Synagogue if funds aren’t available for both.

The mikveh before her looked like a small pool or bath with steps in it, and she wasn’t surprised to see a water channel running to it from a downspout which she supposed led to a rainwater collection pool on the roof, since it had to be periodically filled by a natural flow of water. After the initial collection, the water in the pool would be filtered and purified every day, and usually heated, just like a modern spa or swimming pool, so she had no hygienic concerns as she stood at the top of the stairs with her hand on the rail.

Mi-Sook was very calm and at peace as she stepped down into the pool. The water was cool but tolerable to her. Mi-Sook had only experienced warm baths after she moved to Kunsan but this was refreshing, despite the faint scent of chlorine, almost as if she were stepping into a natural pool in a forest.

As she descended the steps into the Mikveh, Mi-Sook was in a pensive mood. She was thinking of the burdens of her former life that she was about to wash away. Her greatest sin had been the unimportance of God in her life up till just recently. Today that would change.

God had created Mi-Sook. He had also given her a loving husband, and given her the privilege of bringing another Jewish soul into the world. Mi-Sook would never let herself again forget all the blessings God had given her.

As she set foot on the last step, Mi-Sook thought of her unborn child now surrounded by the living waters of her womb, just as she herself was entering the living waters of the mikveh, worlds within worlds.

Then Mi-Sook stepped off the bottom step.  Once her feet were firmly on the bottom, the water in the Mikveh lapped up almost to her chin. She smiled as she thought of a passage from the Prophets, Ezekiel 36, ‘With pure waters will I purify you, that your life be pure and blameless. A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit I will place within you. I will direct you in my teachings. and you shall keep my statutes. You shall be my people, and I will be your God.’

Mi-Sook would soon be reborn. With her rebirth she would have a new commitment in life.  A commitment to God and a whole new way of life.

The mikveh lady, who had her back turned to Mi-Sook till this moment, turned around. She gently nodded her head at Mi-Sook.

Mi-Sook then ducked her head beneath the water, drawing in a breath of air as she did so. When submerged, she let her body float freely, legs and arms apart and supported by the water. Free of a life that was then being washed away by the waters of the Mikveh.

In a split second Mi-Sook grasped what was happening to her. The mikveh was a spiritual womb. When she was ready, Mi-Sook would be born into her new life.

After a few moments floating free, opening her eyes to gaze up into the light above the water, she rose, gathering her feet under her as she stood, the water streaming from her hair and down her body to splash in the waters around her, and she gasped for air just like a newborn baby did, then said the blessing in Hebrew: ‘Blessed are you, Eternal God, ruler of the universe, who sanctifies us through mitzvot and has enjoined us concerning immersion.’

Mi-Sook had just been reborn as a Jewish woman.

She immersed herself again, this time with her eyes opened to the women above her and the light, then rose again and said the second blessing in Hebrew: ‘Blessed are you, Eternal God, ruler of the universe, who has blessed me with life, sustained me, and enabled me to reach this moment.’

She would impress on her own boy or girl from a early age how important God was in their life. As a mother in Israel, her greatest job other than the creation of a human soul and bringing it safely into the world, was the shaping of that same soul after birth. A good mother will teach her children the importance of God’s laws and commandments and she vowed to do so to the best of her ability.

Then she immersed again, rose again, and said the Shema for the first time as a full member of the Jewish People: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord, our God, the Lord is One,’ ‘Shema Yisrael, Adonal Eloheynu, Adonai echod.’

The mikveh lady bent down and Mi-Sook reached out to touch her, sharing the blessings from their mutual fulfillment of mitzvot with the woman who helped make it possible.

Mi-Sook only paused briefly before climbing out of the Mikveh, silently thanking God for allowing her a second attempt at living by his laws and commandments. She would work hard not to fail her creator this time around. As soon as she reached the top step and walked forward into the room, Yael handed her a bathrobe and pair of sandals to put on.

In the meantime, the mikveh lady stepped out of the room. A few seconds later, Mi-Sook could hear words being spoken. The mikveh lady was telling the beth din that the mitzvah that had just been performed was kosher.

“Have you used a mikveh since?” Clyde asked.

“Yes, one time after each birth of my children and the day before Murray and I were married in 1975.”

Mi-Sook could have told Clyde more, but there was no need to tell the private investigator intimate details about her sex life. Late in 1975, after Mi-Sook had a talk with Yael Shapiro, she and Murray had slowly started observing the laws of family purity, the monthly cycle of Niddah and Tehorah that punctuates and sanctifies a woman’s life.

Family purity involves a married couple abstaining from sex while the wife is menstruating and for the seven days immediately after, when she inhabits the private space between life and death. When that time had expired, the wife would visit a mikveh to become pure again so she could rejoin her husband intimately.  Because of the remote locations the Epsteins lived at in Maine and Texas, Mi-Sook had been unable to use a purpose-built mikveh at the end of each twelve day period, so she made do with bathing in the ocean or natural pools, although this was often very difficult to arrange safely or conveniently, and on several occasions took a bottle of rainwater and just poured it into a public swimming pool before immersing. When Murray first questioned her actions, she’d said, ‘it’s for the sake of life, our lives together,’ and he’d nodded his agreement without a word. Nothing more was ever said.

That changed in 1978 when the Epsteins moved to George AFB and Victorville California. It was there Mi-Sook finally had a Synagogue close to where she was living at the time. Observing the cycle of Niddah and the monthly visits to the Mikveh provided extra spirituality to Mi-Sook’s life at the same time it strengthened the non-physical love she and Murray shared for one another.  

While Mi-Sook was immersing herself in the Mikveh, the bet din and Jacob Epstein had assembled in the outer room.  They were quick to congratulate Mi-Sook when she came out.

Stanley Friedman gently took Mi-Sook’s hand. “It has been nice meeting you Mrs. Epstein, and a rare privilege. I don’t know if you realize this, but serving on a Court of Admissions is itself a mitzvah, so I’m grateful for this opportunity and very much look forward to meeting your husband, and seeing that child you will soon be bringing into Klal Ysrael, the community of Israel. Mazel Tov and BeSha’ah tovah.”

“Thank you, Dr. Friedman.”

Solomon Shapiro also congratulated and welcomed Mi-Sook. Then the retired Rabbi turned to the Epsteins.  “Mr. and Mrs. Epstein, you should thank God. You are blessed with a wonderful daughter-in-law and your son with a lovely and faithful wife. Shalom aleichem.”

“Aleichem shalom, Rabbi, and thank you.”

Mi-Sook and her in-laws left the synagogue about fifteen minutes later. It was a short drive to the Howard Johnsons’ hotel they were all staying at.

At almost the exact moment Jacob Epstein pulled his car into a parking space, his son Murray also arrived at the Howard Johnsons’. Mi-Sook wasted no time in sharing her news. Murray then planted a big kiss on his wife’s lips.

When he was finished, Murray said. “I have the best wife in the whole world.”

“Excuse me Mrs. Epstein, how old is your husband?”

“Murray turned thirty last month. I will turn twenty-seven on June 1st.”

Mi-Sook paid her first visit to Loring Air Base on Sunday. In between she and Murray spent Shabbat in Bangor.

At Shabbat services, Mi-Sook thanked God for the many blessings given to her in recent days. She also prayed for her unborn baby and that Murray’s parents would accept her. The previous day had given that cause a great deal of help.

Murray and Mi-Sook got up early on Sunday. By 6 a.m. they had eaten breakfast and were already heading north on I-95. By sunset if everything went according to plan, the couple would be living in their new home.

On Friday night, Murray filled his wife in on the plan for Sunday. “The home we’re getting is on base. I’ve seen it already, it’s small but nice.”

“Will the heat, water, and electricity be turned on when we get there?”

“It’s already been taken care of. The only thing we won’t have is a phone for a few days. At 10 a.m. on Sunday a truck will deliver our personal goods. That means we’ll have to get on the road early in the morning.”

Loring was a Strategic Air Command Base(SAC) next to the town of  Limestone in Aroostook County Maine. If someone wanted to get off the beaten track and still live in the Northern United States, Loring was a great selection. It was over 600 miles from New York City and almost 170 from Bangor. Halifax Nova Scotia and Quebec City were closer to the base than Maine’s largest cities.

As they passed through Limestone, Murray talked about the agenda for that day. “After the movers are finished and we’re settled in, do you want us to go to the base exchange and commissary and start stocking up on food and other supplies we need?”

“Yes, I hope they sell cookies there,” Mi-Sook told her husband who instantly began to laugh. All the cookies given to her by Yael Shapiro were gone already.

As Murray had already visited Loring, getting on base was easy. As soon as the Epstein family car reached the first main intersection, Murray made a right hand turn. He and Mi-Sook still had almost five miles to go before getting to their home. At 14,300 acres in size, Loring was the biggest SAC base in all of the United States.

The Epstein home was at 217 Topeka Court. After parking the car, Murray jumped out and ran around to the other side to help Mi-Sook. As they walked together to the front door, a Black woman waved at the couple.

As Murray said, the house was small but comfortable. It was only a little over 1,100 square feet in size but that was huge compared to the apartment in Kunsan. Also the house had brand new or at most a couple of years old appliances.

Before going to Bangor on Friday, Murray had made a couple of purchases for the house. In a corner of the living room were a half dozen boxes and a small wooden stand.  Five of the boxes had the words plates, bowls, or silverware written on the outside. The last box was marked 13’’ Color Television.

“We’ll have something to do at night besides you know…..”

“Yes, besides playing Scrabble or Yahtzee.” Mi-Sook’s joke caused Murray to laugh his head off.

Behind the house was a small fenced in yard which had a swing set built by a previous family that had lived there.

“How do you like it?” Murray asked Mi-Sook as he gently hugged her from behind.

“It is nice. Thank you for bringing me here,” Two years prior Ernest Jackson had wondered whether he would ever live in the country of his birth again. Well he had made it, just in ways she still had trouble believing.

“Honey, you’re welcome and I think we will be very happy here.” Murray may not have known Mi-Sook for long, but he did know of her dreams to live in the United States. He was as happy as Mi-Sook was excited that those dreams had come true. “Now let me show you some of the appliances we’re going to have.”

Murray was in the middle of demonstrating the dishwasher to Mi-Sook when a knocking sound came from the front door. Mr. and Mrs. Epstein were still believed to be in Bangor and weren’t expected till the early afternoon..

On the way to answer the door, Murray said to Mi-Sook. “I wonder who it could be.”

After Murray opened the door, he and Mi-Sook were astonished by what they saw. Between ten to fifteen men and women were lined up outside.

“Welcome to Loring,” Said the Black woman who had waved at Mi-Sook and Murray minutes earlier. “My name is Regina Barker. You’re the Epsteins?”

“Yes, I’m Murray and this is my wife Mi-Sook.”

A parade of people came in the front door. Eleven in all, four women and seven men. They all introduced themselves to Murray and Mi-Sook.

Five of the men came in carrying either a folding table or chairs. They set it all up in the dining room area. As soon as one of the chairs was ready, Mi-Sook was told to sit down. The four women also sat down and began to introduce themselves to Mi-Sook.

One of the men made note of the television. “Great, maybe we can watch the games here later.”

“Someone will have to hook up the antenna first,” Another man said. “Why don’t we do that now before the truck gets here?”

“Men! Them and their damned football.” Angela Marino exclaimed after the two guys stepped outside to check the antenna on the roof of the Epstein home.

“I actually like football,” Mi-Sook said.

All the women laughed. Regina then remarked. “That makes two of us then.”

Murray who had overheard some of the conversation, took a moment to bend down and kiss Mi-Sook. “I got the best wife. Honey, is there anything I can get you?”

“A glass of water please.” Murray then went to fulfill his wife’s request.

 “When are you due?” Regina asked.

“February 10th,” Mi-Sook said as Murray handed her the glass of water she requested.

“Wow, you don’t look to be that far along at all.”

“How sure are you of that date?” Melissa Lane asked.

“My last period came when Murray and I were on our honeymoon.”

“Now I know why you’re so sure about the date,” Gloria joked and all the women joined her in laughing.

“Murray and I haven’t been married long but I love him very much.”

Regina spoke again. “Mi-Sook, we can all see how much you love Murray.”

Melissa shared her own experience. “I got pregnant right after Ed and I married. We had a honeymoon too and next thing I know I miss my period. Little Eddie was born nine months and five days after I got married.”

“How many children do you have?” Mi-Sook asked Melissa.

“Three.” All the women Mi-Sook was talking to were mothers to either two or three children.

“I’m seeing Dr. Rowe on Tuesday. Murray made me an appointment.”

Angela nodded her head. “Mi-Sook, he was my OB when I had Mary last year. He’s a good doctor.”  

A few moments later, the sound of a truck pulling up outside could be heard. The Epstein’s personal goods had arrived.    

The first reaction by Mi-Sook was to get up and give a hand or at least supervise where everything went. Before she got a chance to stand up, Angela Marino stopped Mi-Sook in her tracks.

“Sit down and relax. That’s what the men are here for. When it comes time to unpack, Gloria, Regina, Melissa, Judy, and I will do most of that too.”

“Thank you. You all are too kind.”

“Talking about Judy, I wonder what is keeping her.”

Melissa replied to Angela’s comment. “Judy had some things to do. She said she would be here right after she was done.”

Murray stepped back into the house. “Honey, you’ll be glad the most important thing we own has just arrived.”

A minute later two men entered the house carrying a brand new King size mattress. Murray had purchased one from a furniture store in town.

“That sure is important,” Regina remarked. “Now Mom has somewhere to go lie down and catch some sleep. While she still can!” Mi-Sook and her new friends all began to laugh.

Once the bed was set up, all the women moved to the bedroom. There they went to work on unpacking Mi-Sook’s clothing and personal belongings. 

Mi-Sook couldn’t let her friends, no matter how nice they were, do everything for her. As clothes were finished being folded, she would put them in the proper dresser drawer.

As the bedroom neared completion, Mi-Sook excused herself. She needed to visit the bathroom.

The house had two bathrooms, one of which was adjacent to the master bedroom. As she transferred herself to the closest bathroom, Mi-Sook heard a female voice from outside the house.

“Could one or two you guys grab the other boxes in the trunk for me and put them in the kitchen? Thanks!”

Mi-Sook’s need to urinate won out over her learning who the latest visitor to the Epstein house was. In any case, Mi-Sook had a good guess who it was.

When she came out of the bathroom, Mi-Sook went straight to the kitchen. There she discovered an attractive woman who had short brown hair and was around thirty years of age. She was putting food away.

“Hi, you must be Mi-Sook. I’m Judy Jacobsen.”

“Hello, Judy. Where did this food come from?”

“I brought it for you and your husband. Where are Angela, Melissa, and the rest?”

Mi-Sook began to peek at the food Judy had brought her. There was coffee, soup, bread, mayonnaise, cereal, eggs, and much more. “They’re putting our things away in the bedroom.”

Suddenly all the generosity shown to her by strangers became overwhelming for Mi-Sook. She began to cry.

“What’s wrong?” Judy asked as she stopped putting things away.

Mi-Sook sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. “You, Regina, the others are doing too much for Murray and me.”

“Don’t think that way. Me and the others have done this for other new Air Force wives. This is how we welcome you to our little world.”

“How long have you been a Air Force wife?” Mi-Sook asked at the same moment Regina stuck her head in the kitchen. She had been wondering where Mi-Sook had gone to. “Do you need me?”

“No, we’re fine. You can stay here if you want,” Regina said before going back to the master bedroom.

Judy spoke a few seconds later. “Harold and I have been married nine years. Before coming here, Harold was stationed at Barksdale and Minot Air Force Bases. He is a flight engineer on B-52s. What does your husband do?”

“Murray is a firefighter. We met when he was stationed at Kunsan.”

Judy nodded her head. “There are no other Korean wives at Loring right now. Song Hee Wilkes was the last. She and her husband moved to Fairchild last summer.”

“How many children do you and Harold have?”

“Three. Our youngest is named Aaron and he is four months old,” Judy explained. At the moment Aaron and the rest of the Jacobsen children were being baby sat for by the teenage daughter of another Air Force family on base.

Judy asked Mi-Sook about her pregnancy. Mi-Sook gave her new friend all the details.   

In the meantime, Mi-Sook had gotten up from the chair and had begun helping Judy with the groceries.  Judy had done a very thorough job of grocery shopping. 

“See I got cream cheese, flour, matzo balls. There’s an Italian bakery in town that makes pretty good bagels. I couldn’t get you any only because they’re closed on Sundays.”

“How did you know Murray and I were Jewish?”

“Before today? Last night I got a phone call from Rabbi Shapiro. He told me you were headed up this way. I then got a hold of Melissa. She’s on the new wives welcoming committee. Melissa filled me in on the rest.”

One of the men who were helping out, came into the kitchen carrying two great big platters of cold cuts. Mi-Sook had been wondering what they would be doing for lunch.

“Chris will be in shortly with the bread and drinks.”

“Thanks, Dan,” Judy said.  “Are you hungry?”

“I’m starved,” Mi-Sook admitted. She hadn’t eaten anything since leaving Bangor.

Judy handed Mi-Sook a box of girl scout cookies. “Eat these if you want.”

“Thank you. How much did you spend for everything you bought?”

“Just under $50.”

“Let me get my purse to reimburse you.”

Judy shook her head. “That’s not necessary right now. A collection was taken up by Melissa and Angela.  We all wanted to get you and Murray off on the right foot here. So what’s your first impression of Loring?”

“It’s far away but I like it.”

“The winters are terrible but no worse than they were at Minot when I lived there. It’s better than mosquito land, also known as Barksdale,” Judy said as she finished filling a kitchen cabinet. “Rabbi Shapiro mentioned your in-laws. Aren’t they here?”

“They will be here in the afternoon.”

Due to all the help they were getting, the setup of Murray and Mi-Sook’s home didn’t take long at all. By noon everyone was sitting down to eat sandwiches made with the cold cuts brought in earlier.

For lunch, the men and women sat in separate groups. Mi-Sook and her fellow Air Force wives made small talk or gossiped as they ate. The men were also talking but at the same time watching television together.

Murray alternated from group to group. He was always very attentive to any needs Mi-Sook may have. 

“Did I read the sign right. We are to look out for moose when driving?” Mi-Sook asked.

Regina laughed. “Not just when driving, how about when you get up in the morning and want to get the newspaper. Ron almost walked into a moose the second month we were here.”

Melissa spoke. “Mi-Sook, this base is very different compared to most stateside. For one thing, the base commander’s wife, Olivia Nicholson. is the best. If you ever run into problems with some base service, just see or call Olivia. She’ll get it straightened out in a jiffy.”

“Don’t be surprised if Olivia comes up and introduces herself at the Exchange or commissary. She’s also been to known to pay a new family a visit at their home not long after they have moved in.” 

“There is a ski slope on base. Not that you will be using it for a while,” Judy said. All the women laughed.  At six months pregnant Mi-Sook wouldn’t be on skis any time soon.

Gloria also mentioned Club 42, a dining area and club for enlisted men and their families. If Murray or Mi-Sook wanted to become a pilot, there was the Aero club.  

One of the men spoke up loudly to get Mi-Sook’s attention. “You and Murray should get cable television. It’s extra but worth it.”

There were three television stations within fifty miles of Loring. Even with an antenna on the roof, reception was at best fair at the Epstein home.

It was almost one o’clock when Angela Marino stood up in order to excuse herself. “I got to go home and check on the kids. Mi-Sook, I’ll be back over later with baked Ziti and meatballs for you, Murray, and your in-laws.” 

Mi-Sook was again touched by the generosity and kindness being shown to her. However it was Judy not her, who noted a potential problem with the meal Angela would be making.

“Angie, you’re forgetting we can’t eat meat and cheese together.”

At once Angela playfully slapped her forehead. She had been born and raised in Queens New York and had many Jewish friends when growing up.  “Oi vei, how can I forget? Make that Ziti and salad then. Don’t eat any meat. Talk to you later.”

Murray’s parents walked in a few minutes later. They were surprised to find the house full of people and almost entirely set up already.

It was about 2 p.m. when all the people that helped Murray and Mi-Sook began to go home. The Epsteins said thank you to each and every one of them individually.

“I think me you and me are going to be good friends,” Judy said to Mi-Sook as she handed her a piece of paper with a telephone number. “Call me after your appointment on Tuesday, maybe we can do lunch later this week or if not next week.”

“Yes, Judy, I will call. It is Tuesday when the phone will be put in.”

Regina hadn’t left yet. “Mi-Sook, if you need the use of a phone before then, just come knock on my door.”

Mi-Sook stood by the front door and watched the last of her visitors leave and walk or drive off to their own homes. The kindness shown to Mi-Sook hadn’t just helped ease the way into her new life, but made her very comfortable with it too. Just like the love of Murray Epstein had made the person once known as Ernest Jackson happy and content to be a woman, wife, and mother.

Kevin Kostro, the necklace, and being a man, seemed like some distant long ago universe now. As Mi-Sook thought about all of this, she felt the familiar sensation of Murray ‘s arms wrapping themselves around her body.

“Are you happy here?”

“Yes, very much so.”   

At the request of their son, Jacob and Tovah Epstein spent another week at Loring. Mi-Sook had places to go and household purchases to make. She would need someone to drive her around, because she was still without a driver’s license.

Mi-Sook did get her license on Thursday. Her successful passing of the written and road tests on the first try was a pleasant surprise to Murray who was told by all his friends at Kunsan not to expect his wife being able to drive right away.

Before going to sleep, Mi-Sook reminded Murray of something. “When we were still in Korea I say I knew how to drive.”

“Yes, I remember that. Honey, you never fail to surprise me. God must have thrown out the mold when he created you.”

In Mi-Sook’s case, a necklace had created her out of Ernest Jackson. Had God created the magic that caused her transformation?

On Friday Mi-Sook went out with her in-laws to look for a car. On a used car lot in Limestone, Mi-Sook found a Pontiac station wagon she liked. Five days later she came into possession of the car after Murray was approved for a loan by the base credit union.

Mi-Sook went to her obstetric appointment on Tuesday. Dr. Rowe confirmed that the mother was in good health, but said she was three pounds light of the recommended weight for an expectant mom at 6 months of pregnancy.

Tovah Epstein, who had come to her daughter-in-law’s appointment, then said to Dr. Rowe. “I been telling Mi-Sook she needs to eat more.”

In her mother-in-law’s eyes, Mi-Sook was at least ten pounds underweight. Mrs. Epstein held the firm opinion that a pregnant woman could only maintain good health by making herself as fat as possible.

When they got home, Mrs. Epstein made it her mission to fill Mi-Sook’s mouth almost all of her waking minutes.  At least Tovah was a good cook.

Mi-Sook continued to get cooking lessons from her mother-in-law. She also began consulting a cookbook given to her by Murray’s sister Sharon.

By the time she and Murray attended a family orientation class on Wednesday night, Mi-Sook was almost totally acclimated to life at Loring.  At the class she met Air Force wives named Emiko Nielsen and Joan Fleming. They would all become close friends in the months ahead.

During the month of November, sunset comes only a few minutes after 4 p.m. at Loring Air Force Base. Mi-Sook began preparations for the lighting of the Shabbat candles shortly after 3:30 on Friday afternoon.

Since coming to the United States, Mi-Sook hadn’t been able to take part in the ritual taught to her by Murray. This was due to her living under the roof of her in-laws. It was only right then that Tovah light the candles.

Now Mi-Sook was living in the home of her husband. That made her the woman of the house.

Tovah didn’t grasp this change at first when she saw Mi-Sook getting ready to light the Shabbat candles. Only when Jacob Epstein grasped her hand was Tovah stopped from interrupting the rite Mi-Sook felt was her duty now.

“Let Mi-Sook do it. We are in our son’s home,” Jacob whispered to his wife.

Mi-Sook was all set for the lighting except for one last thing. “Mom, could you come over here please.”

Tovah Epstein walked over to her daughter-in-law. Standing beside Mi-Sook, she asked how she could be of help.

“Mom, I’d like us both to light the candles together. Would you do that for me?”

Tovah was flabbergasted and speechless at her daughter-in-law’s request. She then watched as Mi-Sook turned her eyes downcast.

“I want us to do this together, Mom, because without you, I would not be here today. My marriage to Murray has blessed me in many ways. He loves me deeply, is the father of the baby I carry now, and by marrying me I was able to come to this great country. Those were all dreams of mine and Murray made them come true.”

“But, Mom, I know that it is you and Dad who made all of that possible. You gave Murray life, raised him, and made him into the person I will always love with all my heart.  The home Murray and I have is as much made by you and Dad as it was by my marriage. I can not thank you enough. Will you please light the Shabbat candles with me?”

“Yes, Mi-Sook, I am delighted to do this with you,” Tovah Epstein said as she fought hard to control her emotions.

Mi-Sook only had one box of matches. She allowed Mrs. Epstein to light a match and then a candle first. Then it was her turn. When Mi-Sook was done, both she and her mother-in-law waved their hands three times before covering their eyes.

“Baruch atta Ado-noy Elo-hai-nu Melech ha’olam asher kid-sha-nu b’mitz-vo-tav v’tzi-vanu li-had-leek ner shel Shabbat Ko-desh,” Mi-Sook and Tovah said together. Then they silently prayed not knowing they were both thanking God for the presence of each other in their life.

Murray had to work till 7 p.m. that evening. As she helped Mi-Sook prepare dinner, Tovah had a confession to make. “When Murray wrote me to tell of his engagement to you, he said you were the most special person he had ever met. Now I know why my son said that.”   

“Murray did marry the nice Jewish girl his mother wanted him to meet after all?” Clyde asked.

“If you say so,” Mi-Sook said modestly.

“You must get along very well with your in-laws then?”

“Yes, I do get along with them. They are my family. Mom and Dad are excellent grandparents to my children.” Mi-Sook went on to explain that she and her mother-in-law had made it a tradition to light the Shabbat candles together whenever they were visiting one another.

Mi-Sook also confided to Clyde that Mrs. Epstein was very free giving advice to her daughter-in-law. Whether the advice was needed or not.

“Mothers always want the best for their children. That and the fact they did almost everything when  raising them, makes a Mother think she always knows what is best for her child. Isn’t that the way you think when it comes to Rachel, Naomi, and Sarah?”

“Yes, I do,” Mi-Sook replied before glancing at her watch. She then went back to telling the rest of her post transformation life story.

The Epsteins lived at Loring Air Force Base  for thirty-two months and for the most part it was a very pleasant time. The weather in Maine was every bit as bad as Murray and Mi-Sook had been warned it would be. Mi-Sook jokingly called her time at Loring, ‘The Ice Age Years’.

The highlight of those years was the birth of Rachel Epstein, and Mi-Sook remembered that big moment in her life like it happened yesterday. She saw her OB on the morning of February 10th 1975.  It was at the appointment that Mi-Sook learned she was already dilated to three centimeters. However she wasn’t in labor, and Dr. Rowe sent her home.

It was around dinner time that Mi-Sook felt her first labor pains. They weren’t too close together, so she was calm when telling Murray what was going on after he came home from work that night.

Murray wasn’t so calm. He wanted to take his wife to the hospital at once. Mi-Sook said it wasn’t time yet. The rest of February 10th saw Murray timing his wife’s increasingly frequent contractions.  Outside the temperature was two below zero and a light snow began to fall shortly before 8 p.m.

The contractions were six minutes apart, when Mi-Sook and Murray got in bed. By now the increasing frequency of her contractions and Mi-Sook’s size made sleep almost impossible for the expectant mother.  She did close her eyes eventually.

“Murray,” Mi-Sook said as she shook her sleeping husband only minutes later. “My water just broke.”

Mi-Sook never saw a man jump so fast. Murray began preparing himself and his wife for the trip to the base hospital. A bag was packed and ready by the front door.

Murray went to check outside.  An already jittery husband was made even shakier by what he discovered. There was over a foot of snow on the ground. Murray would have to shovel some of it to get out of the driveway safely.

“Hang in there, honey,” Murray told his wife before going outside.

Mi-Sook’s contractions were becoming longer and coming closer together. “I’ll call the hospital to say we’re leaving soon.”

Murray kissed his wife. “You are a brave woman.”

Mi-Sook and Murray got to the hospital thirty minutes later. The doctor who examined Mi-Sook said she was dilated to seven centimeters now. She was taken straight to the delivery room.

Childbirth is not pleasant for a mother, but the birth of Rachel Epstein on February 11th at 4:31 in the morning was uncomplicated.  When the little girl emerged from her mother she instantly began to cry. Murray and Mi-Sook cried too.

The arrival of her daughter into the world, caused Mi-Sook to change in many ways. She had a little human life that needed her to do almost everything for them.  Mi-Sook wanted to be always available for Rachel.

In other words Mi-Sook was very content to be a stay at home Mom, just like most of her friends were.  Jobs were scarce for military wives in Northern Maine who did seek employment.

Shortly after arriving at Loring, Mi-Sook advertised her services as a music teacher. By early 1975 she was teaching two children out of the Epstein home.

The birth of Rachel caused a brief pause in Mi-Sook’s work as a teacher but it only lasted five weeks. During her time at Loring, Mi-Sook gave some form of music lessons to eleven children but no more than six at any given time.

Teaching children at home allowed Mi-Sook to earn some extra money for her family while at the same time letting her be home for Rachel at all times. As always, Murray was supportive of his wife’s wishes.

Due to her musical talents, Mi-Sook was occasionally asked to sing or play the piano at base parties. The wives at Loring were a very organized group, and all were encouraged to volunteer their time to make life better at the base for the families living there. Mi-Sook did her part by her playing at base parties and occasionally being one of the welcomers for newly arrived families.

Mi-Sook and Judith Jacobsen didn’t waste much time at all before becoming best friends.  Other close friends of Mi-Sook were her neighbor Regina Barker plus Emiko Nielsen and Joan Fleming. 

As a rule, Mi-Sook tried to be friendly with all the wives at Loring. She was only human, so it was only natural some people would grate on her. Most of those were snobbish officer wives who wanted to be treated like they wore their husband’s rank.

Mi-Sook and Murray got married again on September 6th at the Epstein home synagogue in Brooklyn New York. To Mi-Sook, her wedding, along with the Ketubah hand-lettered by Rabbi Shapiro himself and signed by two of their closest Jewish male friends, were the finishing touches in her conversion to Judaism. 

After their wedding, Murray and Mi-Sook had a second and unusual honeymoon that was split between the Catskills and Manhattan.   The unusual part was having Tovah and Jacob Epstein nearby the whole time. They were caring for Rachel, and Mi-Sook didn’t want to be separated from her daughter even for a few days.

Late 1975 and most of 1976 was a quiet time for Mi-Sook and her family.  Other than the rapid growth of Rachel, which included the girl taking her first steps, the most notable event in the fifteen months before Hanukkah 1976 was a set of promises Murray made to his wife.  

The cause of these promises stemmed from a tragedy that happened at Loring in February 1975. Joan Fleming’s husband John was killed in a work-related accident. In addition to his wife, John left behind a eight-year-old daughter named Mary and a five-month-old son named John Jr.

John and Joan who met while he was stationed in the United Kingdom had only been married for a year. Mary was his daughter from a previous marriage. Joan was devastated by the death of her husband.

Then her life took an even worse turn. At the time of John’s death, Joan hadn’t gotten her green card yet. She had an interview date that fell two weeks after her husband’s death. When Joan went to the interview alone and explained what happened to John, INS instantly denied the widow a green card on the grounds she was no longer the spouse of a US citizen.

INS also informed Joan they would begin deportation proceedings. Joan Fleming’s happy life had turned into a nightmare.

Mi-Sook gave Joan all the support she could, as did the other wives at Loring. It was for naught. Facing deportation, Joan Fleming left the United States voluntarily in early December 1975.

What happened to her friend shook Mi-Sook. During Joan’s last days in America, Mi-Sook came close to having an anxiety attack on more than one occasion.

“Don’t let that happen to me,” Mi-Sook said to Murray one cold November evening.

“Honey, I promise it won’t happen. You have a green card already.”

“I’m still scared,” Mi-Sook said to her husband. If Murray died, a return to South Korea would be life shattering for her. “John served his country and died doing his duty. Look what they did to Joan.”

“It’s rotten and unfair what they are doing to Joan. I won’t let it happen to you,” Murray said in order to calm Mi-Sook down. “God forbid anything happens to me, you and Rachel can live with my parents. I have talked to Mom and Dad about it already, you will always be welcome in Brooklyn.”

Murray worked hard to calm down Mi-Sook. “There are a couple of other things we can do. We need to draw up a last will and testament. If something happens to us, we need to tell the court who we want to care for Rachel.”

Mi-Sook tried to be strong. “Yes, we need to do that. Will Sharon and Abe be willing to do that?”

“If I asked my sister, I’m sure the answer would be yes. My cousin Marty can draw up the will for us. Do you remember my telling you he is a lawyer?”

At their wedding the previous September, Mi-Sook was introduced for the first time to some of Murray’s more distant family members. One of whom was a cousin named Marty Levine. “Yes I remember.”


“Honey, I’m also going to find out when you become eligible for citizenship.  We’ll apply right away. A U.S. citizen can’t be deported.”

Mi-Sook soon got control of her fears because of Murray’s reassurances. She was blessed to have such a thoughtful and loving husband.

In the fall of 1976, Murray began to discuss with Mi-Sook where they wanted his career path to go in the years ahead. Murray’s enlistment in the Air Force would come to an end in July 1977. 

Murray loved the work he did in the Air Force and was inclined to stay in the military till he had done twenty years of service.  The decision to re-enlist should have been simple, except for Jacob Epstein’s lobbying of his son. The father wanted Murray to return home so he could join his father and Uncle in running the jewelry business they co-owned.

Mi-Sook told Murray he should make his decision based on what would make him the happiest. “When you are happy, I am happy.”

Murray made his decision in early December 1976. He would re-enlist and he told the Air Force of his decision. Murray began the necessary paperwork at once.

Hanukkah is a minor Jewish holiday, but the Epsteins celebrate it every year by lighting a menorah in their home.

On sixth day of Hanukkah 1976, Murray came home from work shortly after 7 p.m. He found his wife and daughter in the kitchen. Mi-Sook was busy preparing supper.

“How was your day?” Murray asked his wife after they shared a kiss.

“Pretty good. You?”

Murray went over to where Rachel Epstein was before answering Mi-Sook’s question. The almost two-year-old girl was seated in a high chair. “I might have some bad news.”

Mi-Sook glanced at her husband. “I might have some good news. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first.”

“If my re-enlistment is approved, the Air Force will probably require me to undergo some extra training.”

“What will that require you to do?” Mi-Sook said as she put down the ladle she was using to stir the stew she had on the stove. She then walked over to a nearby kitchen cabinet.

“It means we may be apart for a few months. Honey, it is not definite yet. What’s your news now?” 

Mi-Sook had her back to Murray. She looked over her shoulder at her husband and gave him a brief smile.    

Murray had seen a similar smile on his wife’s face only one time before. “Are you pregnant?”

Mi-Sook went back to watching the stew she was preparing. “Maybe. My period should have arrived three days ago.”

An excited Murray ran up and lifted Mi-Sook up into the air. “Honey, I’m so happy. Aren’t you?”

Mi-Sook was very happy but not 100% positive yet she was pregnant. A blood test in January confirmed her suspicions. She and Murray were expecting their second child.

1977 was a busy year, and not just because of Murray’s re-enlistment and Mi-Sook eventually giving birth. The Epstein family would have to move away from Loring that year and Mi-Sook would also be sworn in as a U.S. citizen.  August was already shaping up as a very busy month.

In April Murray got his next orders. He would be assigned next to Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio Texas. Before that would take place, Murray was to receive some extra training in the handling of hazardous chemicals.

The training would last eleven weeks and was to start the first Monday in August. Coincidentally that was the same month Mi-Sook was due to have the baby and when her citizenship oath would take place too.

Murray’s training would take place at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul Illinois. Due to Air Force regulations, Mi-Sook and Rachel could only join Murray during his training period if the family was willing to foot all non-medical related expenses.

After talking it over, Murray and Mi-Sook decided it was best if she and Rachel stayed in Brooklyn with his parents. Tovah and Jacob Epstein had already made it clear that their granddaughter and daughter-in-law were welcome to stay however long they needed to.    

The Epsteins last day at Loring was July 20th. In the days preceding that, the wives at the base both came over to help Mi-Sook pack and to give her a going away party.

While the party was taking place, most of the wives formed an opinion as to what the sex would be of the baby that Mi-Sook was carrying. “The baby is low, that means you’ll have a boy.”

Many friends and family members were predicting Mi-Sook to have a boy. After a while, she began to believe what the baby prognosticators were telling her.

By the time the Mi-Sook and Murray arrived in Brooklyn, she was as ‘big as a house’. No one, not even Tovah Epstein, thought Mi-Sook was too thin for eight months pregnant. If anything, friends and family members frequently told the mother she looked ready to give birth very soon.

Not long after arriving in Brooklyn, Mi-Sook had a serious talk with Murray. Tovah and Jacob Epstein were out for the evening.  “When immigration asks what I want the name to say on my certificate, I want to give them a new name.”

“Like what?” Murray asked his wife before they both went to bed. The couple were seated on separate couches because Mi-Sook was doing some sewing at the same time she and Murray watched television.

“How about the name Yael? I would like to become Yael Epstein next month.” Yael had been the name of the rabbi’s wife in Maine. Murray also had a deceased great grandmother by that name also.

The name Yael is formed from the feminine name for God, Yah, and the male name, El.  In the bible Yael was a warrior who killed Sisera to deliver Israel from the troops of king Jabin. 

Murray’s first reaction to his wife’s proposed name change was to let out a short but loud laugh, then he got up and transferred himself to where Mi-Sook was sitting. Murray put the sewing his wife was working on to the side and after that he sat himself very close to Mi-Sook as he held her right hand.

“Honey, you don’t need to do that.”

“I would like to,” Mi-Sook said firmly. She was working hard to remain strong right then. Two big moments in her life were about to take place, and Murray wouldn’t be there for either one of them. 

Murray looked his wife right in the eye. “Honey, one thing I loved most about you since we first met was how unique you were when compared to other women.  That included your name after we got married.”

Mi-Sook paused for a few seconds. “What if I make Mi-Sook, Misook? There will no longer be a hyphen in my name. Then I call myself Misook Yael Epstein.”

Murray took that moment to give his wife a big kiss. “Now I think that name is the most original I ever heard and I like it!”

A few weeks later, Mi-Sook was sworn in as a U.S. citizen. After the oath, and then some form filling with the Passport agency and the Social Security administration, South Korean citizen Mi-Sook Han Epstein became a U.S. citizen named Misook Yael Epstein.

“The only problem I have with my new name is some people ask if they can call me Missy,” Misook said to Clyde back at the diner.

Clyde could see why that would happen considering Mrs. Epstein’s unusual first name and her middle initial. “How do you feel about being called Missy?”

“I rather be called Yael.”

After eleven hours of labor, Misook gave birth to Naomi Epstein on August 30th. All of those baby predictions were wrong. Tovah Epstein took the place of her son when Naomi was born.

Murray was re-united with his wife and daughters at the end of October. What was already a strong marriage had been strengthened more by the eleven weeks of separation.

“Are you disappointed I did not give birth to a boy?” Misook asked Murray moments after the reunion took place.

“Why should I? I’m surrounded by beautiful Korean females.”

The Epsteins stay at Laughlin Air Base was a brief one. Only six months after he and his family arrived there, Murray was given new orders. His next assignment was at George Air Force Base. Misook Epstein’s journey from South Korea to Southern California was completed in August 1978.

After another uncomplicated pregnancy, Misook gave birth to Sarah Epstein on March 10th 1980.  Shortly after mother and child came home from the hospital, Murray warned his wife that he was likely to receive new orders before 1980 was finished.

“First we live at North Pole, now we live on the edge of Death Valley Desert. Will we be moving to a rain forest next?”

Murray cracked up at his wife’s remark. Then he joked back. “Logic says we’re headed to Howard Air Force Base in Panama next.”  

“It was late last February when I see the picture of Kevin Kostro,” Misook said as she took the newspaper clipping out of her purse and tried to hand it to Clyde. He didn’t accept it, because the private investigator hadn’t made up his mind as to whether he would take Misook Epstein as a client. “I saved it for after Sarah was born.”

“You sound like a very busy woman, Mrs. Epstein.”

“The children, Murray, and two dogs we have as pets keep me busy.”

An unanswered prayer from a long time ago had been answered via the newspaper clipping. The former Ernest Jackson now knew approximately where the man who transformed him into Mi-Sook Han lived and worked. She now had a chance to get revenge if she so wanted and a whole lot more if Kevin was still in possession of the magic necklace.

What did Misook want to do now? Right now she was facing a dilemma and was at a crossroads in her life.

Before coming across that newspaper photo, life as Ernest Jackson had become an almost non existent memory to Misook, as had any desire she had to be him again. If she somehow got hold of the necklace, did she want to be male again?

Clyde had many questions to ask. He also knew time was running out for him to talk to Misook that day. “May I ask where that large bankroll came from? An Air Force family usually doesn’t have that amount of cash around.”

“During the time I stayed in Brooklyn with my in-laws, I gave singing and piano lessons to the daughter of very wealthy people. Before I left for Texas, the Meyers were very kind to give me a large bonus.”

Clyde nodded his head. “Mrs. Epstein, the next question will require a totally honest answer from you. Should I accept you as a client, what exactly is it you want me to do for you?”

“Then you will accept me as a client?” Misook asked.

“Mrs. Epstein, I haven’t made up my mind yet. Please answer my question.”

“I want to know if they still have the necklace.”

“If Kevin Kostro or someone he knows has the necklace, you want me to ask them for it?”

“Yes. Tell them I will pay money just to borrow it for a short time.”

“Mrs. Epstein, are you hoping to get revenge against Mr. Kostro or the others you claim changed you?”

Misook had indeed wanted revenge in those long ago days right after her transformation. Today revenge wasn’t her goal, but she couldn’t rule it out either.

“No, I do not plan to get revenge.”

“From everything you have told me, Mr. Kostro is a very dangerous man to be messing with.”

“He is a evil monster.”

“You are probably right. If Mr. Kostro has been using this necklace to assist with criminal activities, he wouldn’t be all that likely to loan it out to someone. Even if they agreed to pay him money for it.”

“Kevin is greedy.”

“Yes, he probably is. He may ask for more money than what you have shown me.”

Misook knew that was a possibility. She could get her hands on almost three times the amount she had shown to Clyde Heppner. To do that, she would have to withdraw money her family had saved. Would that be fair to Murray and the children?

“Mrs. Epstein, does your husband know your life story?”

“No, he does not.”

Clyde now had to do some quick thinking. Whatever Mrs. Epstein’s motivations were to get back the necklace, they were her own private business as long as it in no way put Clyde in any danger. If the woman wanted to throw six years of marriage out the window, it was her business.

Had Clyde come to believe Misook’s story? What he had been told was unbelievable. Something no rational, sane person, would ever concoct.

Then why was Clyde thinking the tale was true? It was due to the background check he did of Misook Epstein. Every person he had spoken to had nothing but kind words and praise for the woman seated across from him. They all said Misook was a loving wife and mother, and very kind to all people she came across. Clyde hadn’t heard one negative word about the woman.

Had Clyde not interviewed enough people or was Misook Epstein adored by everyone who knew her? Clyde was inclined to believe the later, and that made it hard for him to believe the woman was either nuts or lying to him.

If Clyde accepted what Misook was saying, he still had a hard time reconciling her actions of the previous seven years with someone who used to be a man. Would a guy turned into a woman marry, have children, and turn into the perfect housewife?

Then it clicked in Clyde’s mind. Think of Ernest Jackson as a person who is severely traumatized, say like a amputee or someone who becomes paralyzed. What do these people do? Some give up and commit suicide. Others become angry and bitter.  Lastly, some maybe a majority, accept and try to do the best they can do with their altered life.

That would make sense in Misook’s case. She was like a person who became paralyzed, she adjusted to the cruel twist of fate she had been given, but held onto hope for a cure. Clyde knew people who were confined to a wheelchair, but were still clinging to the hope they may walk again one day.

Misook got her miracle. She had found Ernest Jackson. Clyde now decided to accept her case. He still had some doubts, but Clyde could use the fees he’d earn from working for Misook Epstein.

There was one more important thing for Clyde to bring up. “You said you saw Ernest Jackson recently.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Where was that?” Clyde asked. Misook then recalled her drive home after she and Clyde talked two weeks earlier. “Are you telling me he is in San Bernardino?”

“I don’t really know, Mr. Heppner. That is just where I saw him. Kevin has made someone else into me.”

“Could this other Ernest have the necklace?”

“I don’t really know.”

What Misook just told Clyde put a whole other twist on the story she had told the private investigator. Could she be a vengeful ex-girlfriend concocting a story to get back at some guy or guys who wronged her?

Again that didn’t match the descriptions Clyde heard when he did his background check on Misook Epstein. On the other hand, the woman appeared good at hiding dark secrets.

“Mrs. Epstein, I have decided to accept you as a client.”

“Thank you.”

“Let me make myself clear. If you have any notions about what a private investigator does from your watching television, forget it. I don’t go around shooting people.”

Clyde in fact carried a firearm on him when his work required him to be cautious. He was licensed to carry a concealed weapon. Over the last eleven years, he had taken out his weapon on four occasions and only once had to fire it in self defense.

“Yes, I understand. Would you like money from me now?”

Clyde said yes and Misook immediately gave him $500. In return she got a receipt from the private investigator. 

Misook gave Clyde her telephone number but asked he only call on weekdays from nine to six. Those were usually the hours Murray Epstein wasn’t home. Clyde in return gave Mi-Sook one of his business cards.

“Can I ask you something, Mr. Heppner?”

“Of course Mrs. Epstein.”

“Since we last spoke, you said you checked up on me.”

“Yes, Mrs. Epstein, I did,” Clyde told his new client. “It is standard operating procedure for me if I have any doubts about a person I’m thinking of going to work for.”

“I understand. What did you do exactly?”

Clyde reminded Misook of the observations he made at their first meeting. He used those small bits of information about Misook to conduct his background check.

“I went to the synagogue you and your family attend and asked some questions of other people who go there. Trust me Mrs. Epstein, I was very discreet when doing this.”

“May I ask who you spoke to?”

“Of course.  There was a Lynn Silverstein, a Marla Feldman, and the wife of the rabbi. I know the name and it’s right on the tip of my tongue….”

“That is all right. I know all those people.”

“They all spoke glowingly of you, Mr. Epstein and the children. Mrs. Feldman said you were the nicest person she ever met.”

“Marla is very nice also.  “When will you start working for me?”

“Monday, if that is all right.”

“It is. Thank you for helping me.”

“I will call as soon as I learn anything.”

“Is it all right if I call you next Friday for an update?”

“Of course it is.”

Then Clyde and his new client finally relinquished the table they had been seated at for over two hours. A certain impatient waitress could now let other people sit there.

As promised, Misook paid for breakfast. Clyde hung around while she did this. He was still observing the person who claimed to once be Ernest Jackson. Funny, Misook Epstein had all the mannerisms a real woman should have. Was her story a fake or had she adjusted like she claimed in her long narration to Clyde?

Misook was a natural with a purse. She knew what was in it and just where, and was quick to use it when required. Clyde, like most men, was mystified by women’s handbags. He never could see himself learning how to use one if a magical transformation happened to him.

“We’re all set now,” Misook said after she finished paying the bill.

Clyde and Misook made their way to the door. When they arrived there, Clyde held the door for Misook. She even waited for him to do it. Again the person claiming once to be named Ernest Jackson was acting like any other woman.

“Thank you, Mr. Heppner. I hope to hear from you soon.”

“Talk to you later.” Then Misook and Clyde parted ways, each of them going to their own car.

Then Clyde suddenly thought of something. He called out. “Mrs. Epstein.”

Misook immediately turned around. “Yes.”

“There is something else I want to ask you. Do you have a minute?”

“Of course.”

Clyde didn’t want to talk out in the middle of the parking lot. Not just because of privacy concerns, but because the area was unpaved. The diner was very busy and cars were throwing up dust and dirt as they went by.

So Clyde and Misook stood over by some newspaper stands as they began talking again. “Would you happen to have a photo of Ernest Jackson?”

“No I don’t.”

“Is there anyway you can get me one?” Misook had described Ernest Jackson to Clyde but a photograph would be incredibly useful.

Misook thought for a few moments before answering. “I have a sister named Debbie living in San Diego. We haven’t spoken since Kevin changed me.”

Six years living at one place was a long time for some people. The Jackson children had grown up as military brats and that particular breed of people were prone to moving often even after they became adults. It seemed very likely that Debbie Jackson or whatever her married name was, had since moved from her 1973 address.

Clyde would still try contacting the woman. “Do you remember Debbie’s address?”

“No, but I do remember her phone number. I was always good with numbers.”

Clyde always had a pen on him and he used one of his business cards for jotting down the phone number Misook gave him. Ernest Jackson’s sister was married and her name was now Debbie Spencer.

As Clyde was jotting down the few details he wanted to know about Debbie Spencer, Misook shared one reason for her being good with numbers. “It is almost three years since I last saw him but I still can’t forget the phone number of my first obstetrician. I was very worried throughout my pregnancy with Rachel.”

“I bet you were.”

“Yes. How does a man become pregnant? I would often worry that my body would explode before I had the opportunity to give birth.”

Again Clyde asked himself if this woman was insane. “But you made it.”

Misook smiled. “Yes I did. Childbirth was painful but it was worth it for when I first held Rachel in my arms it was the happiest moment in my life.”

A minute later Misook and Clyde were finished. For the second time, they split up, both going separately to their individual cars.      

Clyde’s Chevy Cheyenne truck was parked very close to the diner’s front door. Rather than climb inside, he again focused his eyes on Misook Epstein. She had her back to Clyde and had still yet to reach her car.

As he watched the swiveling hips and buttocks of Misook Epstein, Clyde thought to himself. ‘How can such a perfect specimen of womanhood ever been made from a man?’

Clyde was on the highway a minute took and heading south. He would begin working for Misook Epstein that very day.

Misook didn’t go home straight from the diner. Instead she stopped at the George Air Force Base commissary to pick up a few things for home.

As Misook pulled into the Epstein family driveway, a neighbor woman waved at her. The Epsteins lived in military housing on the grounds of George Air Force Base. Their 1,300 square foot two-bedroom home that became smaller after the birth of Sarah Epstein was still comfortable for the family of five.

It was a couple minutes before twelve noon and the mother of three had been away from home just a little over three and a half hours. Whenever Misook took one of her ‘timeouts’, all Murray asked of his wife was that she call to say if she would be out for more than five hours.  Today she made it home with plenty of time to spare.

When Misook climbed out of the Epstein family station wagon, her original plan was to go straight to the trunk of her car. The sound of her next store neighbor calling Misook by name caused the mother to alter her course slightly.

“Hello, Mrs. O’Reilly,” Misook called out. “How are you today?” 

Ellen O’Reilly, wife of Air Force Lt. Colonel David O’Reilly, had been working in the garden of her home when Misook got back from her ‘timeout’. After putting down her gardening tools, Ellen began walking towards her neighbor. “I’m great, but when will you start calling me Ellen. My husband is an officer but I don’t wear his rank.”

“It is a habit, Ellen.”

If not for her dirt-covered hands, Ellen would have given Misook a hug. “I’m great by the way. How was your timeout today?”

“It was good. You spoke to Murray today?”

“Oh yes. He and the girls went to the playground for a while. I said hello then.”

There was a playground, baseball field, and public swimming pool less than a half mile from the Epstein home.

“Misook, you have a very special husband.”

“I know,” Misook replied. Ellen once told her that if she had left her husband David in charge of the O’Reilly children for just an hour when they were little, the place would be falling apart by the time she arrived home.  “Murray is very good to me.”

“He should be. You are a wonderful wife to him and mother to his children.”

“I better get the groceries into the house and then check on Murray and the children. It’s been nice talking, Ellen.”

Ellen O’Reilly then left Misook alone which enabled the mother to get on with her family chores.

About two minutes later, Misook was letting herself into the Epstein home. She was carrying just one of the three bags she brought home from the grocery store when she called out. “I’m home.”

One of the two Epstein family pets, a Golden Retriever named Rusty, ran up to Misook with his tail wagging. No one else came to greet the mother.

Murray Epstein called back to his wife. “We’re in the kitchen.”

Misook found her husband and two oldest daughters in the kitchen. After putting the grocery bag down on the counter, she and Murray shared a brief kiss. “Did you have a good time today?”

“Yes, I did.”

The Epstein girls at present were busy eating the peanut butter jelly and jelly sandwiches their father had made them for lunch. Now they were ready to greet their mother.

“Hi Mom,” Rachel said. Her sister took a moment to wave to Misook. Laying on the floor next to the chairs the two oldest Epstein daughters sat in, was the family’s other pet dog, a beagle named Snoopy.

Snoopy was a wise dog in Murray Epstein’s opinion. The beagle was waiting for food to fall to the floor after being accidentally dropped there by Rachel or Naomi. Young children were accident prone

Misook went to greet their daughters. She did this by kissing both girls on the forehead. At the same time, Murray went to get the rest of the groceries out of the car. “Were you both good girls for your father?”

“Yes, Mom.”

Last, but not least, Misook checked on Sarah Epstein. The two-month old was sleeping in a crib a few feet from the dinner table.

“I fed her an hour ago and changed her diaper not too long after that,” Murray told his wife as he came back in the house with the last two bags of groceries his wife bought.

Misook touched Sarah just for a second. The mother had missed the little girl while she was on her ‘timeout’.

“Honey, can I make something for you to eat?”

Misook would let Sarah sleep. The newborn would wake up soon enough.  “No, I had a snack while I was out. Did we get any mail?”

“Just junk mail,” Murray told Misook as she returned to the kitchen. “Glenda Campbell called. Jean will be here on Monday for her lesson.”

Jean was the oldest daughter of Air Force Staff Sergeant John Campbell and his wife Glenda. The Campbells had just come back from vacation. Misook was teaching Jean how to play the piano.

That was for Monday, in the mean time Rachel and Naomi were finishing their lunches. “We missed you Mom.”

“I missed both of you too.”

Misook began to put the groceries away. As she was putting some cans of Campbell’s soup in a cabinet, Murray wrapped his arms around her and began to kiss his wife’s neck.

“I missed you too, honey. I don’t know what I or the girls would do without you.”

“You’re only saying that because you’re hungry.”

Murray let out a loud laugh. “I mean it. From deep inside my heart, I love you, Misook Yael Epstein.”

“I love you too,” Misook said before closing the cabinet door. All this attention from Murray was making her feel amorous. Married couples with three children don’t have enough privacy to make love in the middle of the afternoon.

Murray and Misook rarely had trouble finding the time for sexual intercourse before going to sleep at night. On average, the couple made love at least every third day when they weren’t practicing Niddah.

Since the birth of Sarah Epstein, Misook had been asking herself if she and Murray had all the children they needed. Three was a nice number, but the couple lacked a son.  Misook was undecided if she wanted more children.

In the meantime, Rachel had gotten out of her chair and had come over to her mother.  Friends and family members frequently commented on how much the five-year-old looked like her mother. Naomi Epstein on the other hand was more Amerasian in appearance.  “Mom can you teach Daddy how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich next time?”

“Why, sweetheart? Did Daddy do it wrong?”

“Daddy don’t put enough jelly on the bread.”

Murray rolled his eyes before pretending he was angry at what Rachel had just said. “Everyone is a food critic!”

Misook played along with her husband. “Let’s take a vote. Girls, who is the best cook and sandwich maker?”

Rachel and Naomi both instantly pointed at their mother.

“What does a man have to do to get some respect around here? Clean the toilets?” Murray asked in a sarcastic tone of voice.

“No, just give your wife a foot massage.” Misook joked back at her husband.

Rachel then added. “Naomi and I would like a pony too.”

“Females! You always stick together, always! If your mother and I could just trade places…….” Murray said to Rachel and Naomi as Misook stood slightly to the back of her husband.  A slight grin was beginning to form on her face as she tried hard not to laugh. “Then I’ll finally get some respect around here.”

‘Murray, maybe I can help you with that.’ Misook thought to herself.

*****

To be continued in Part Three

Closing Author's note- Part One of Shocking concluded on October 31st 1974. It is only another one of those lucky coincidences that seem to pop up in my story writing, that the above cited  M*A*S*H episode aired on October 29th 1974.