Nine months after our final decree, he and Teri Felitti were married in a fanfare of white lace and bridesmaids. Her father’s financial prominence made the nuptials a major news item—and I couldn’t resist reading all the details. Which is how I knew she was only nineteen at the time, nine years younger than Dick. He had turned forty last year; I wondered if Teri at thirty-two was starting to look old to him.

I’d never seen her before, but I could understand why Dick thought she was a better ornament for Crawford, Mead than I’d been. For one thing, she wasn’t sprawled on the floor as the ushers were closing the aisle doors; for another, she didn’t have to sprint, holding up her dirty hem to avoid her high heels, to get inside ahead of them.

3

Feeding Frenzy

I dropped back into the box just as Michael returned to the stage with Or’. Hearing my panting, Lotty turned to me, eyebrows raised. “Did you need to run a marathon at intermission, Vic?” she muttered under cover of the polite smattering of applause.

I made a throwaway gesture. “It’s too complicated to explain now. Dick is here, my old pal Dick.”

“And that set your pulse racing like this?” Her astringent irony made me flush, but before I could come up with a snappy rejoinder Michael started speaking.

In a few simple sentences he explained the debt his family owed the citizens of London for taking them in when Europe had become a hellhole in which they couldn’t survive. “And I am proud that I grew up in Chicago, where people’s hearts are also moved to help those who—because of race or tribe or creed—can no longer live in their native lands. Tonight we are going to play for you the debut performance of Or’ Nivitsky’s concerto for oboe and cello entitled The Wandering Jew, dedicated to the memory of Theresz Kocsis Loewenthal. Theresz supported Chicago Settlement most ardently; she would be moved to see the support you give this important charity.”

It was a rehearsed speech, delivered quickly and without warmth because of the coldness of the audience. Michael bowed slightly, first in the direction of our box, then to Or’. The two seated themselves. Michael tuned his cello, then looked at Or’. At her nod they began to play.