Last Days of Summer

“No doubt you will understand that it is far too premature to consider arming the Royal Air Force as you suggest, although your reminders relative to the Lusitania are sobering indeed.” 

Joey Margolis, the protagonist of the book, is a young, prolific letter writer. He frequently writes to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt with remarkably astute election predictions and political observations. The above quote is from a reply sent to the boy by Stephen T. Early, White House Press Secretary during the Roosevelt administration. He is addressing specific concerns expressed by Joey in a letter sent to the President. Early alludes to a warning in Joey’s letter regarding the sinking of the Lusitania, a British ocean liner, by German U-boats in 1915, an event that led to U.S. involvement in World War I. Joey has made a learned analogy between this situation and U.S. international policy prior to World War II.

“Mrs. Gettinger (the aunt) has now determined the religious affiliations of all receiving personnel and will only speak to Sgt. Greenberg.” 

Joey is a resident of the Brooklyn Juvenile Detention Center at the beginning of the book due to having been found urinating in the local reservoir. Staff members at the Center realize that the boy is being beaten by the local neighborhood bully, Lenny Bierman; however, Joey persists in attributing his injuries to falls and accidents. Aunt Carrie Gettinger, who lives with Joey and his mother, practices a relatively strict form of Conservative Judaism and is most comfortable interacting with other Jewish people rather than Gentiles. During her frequent visits to the Detention Center, she realizes that Sgt. Greenberg is of the same faith and insists upon dealing with him exclusively. 

“As usual, I am very proud of Joey’s grades. I too was unaware that Dolley Madison was a Lesbian. I assumed they were all Protestants.” 

Ida Margolis, Joey’s mother, writes this response to the semester report sent home by Mrs. Janet Hicks, who is Joey’s much belabored teacher. Joey has achieved A’s in all academic subjects, but he is awarded a D in Obedience. Mrs. Hicks’ comments explains that Joey’s imagination causes him to leap impulsively to unfounded conclusions. In this case, he has argued that Dolley Madison was a Lesbian. She further notes that Joey, in an attempt to draw the attention of Rachel Panitz, continuously pelts her with erasers, clips, and fountain pens. Ida responds with classic brevity and wit regarding her son’s image of Mrs. Madison and emphasizes his academic achievement. 

“I am enclosing a button that says NO THIRD TERM-ITES.”

Joey develops a correspondence with Charlie Banks, the third baseman for the New York Giants Baseball team. The boy contacts him initially in an effort to secure protection from the neighborhood bullies who beat him en route home from school. Although Banks’ first response is to become somewhat annoyed, he eventually develops a close relationship with Joey and his family and becomes a substitute father for the boy. Banks is the cultural and political antithesis of the urbane, New York ethnic, Joey Margolis. Accordingly, Banks resents the fact that Roosevelt is seeking an aberrational third Presidential term in view of U.S. participation in World War II and sends a lapel button to Joey expressing this sentiment.

“Also, when I took the kid home with the pork chop, the Aunt kept looking at me like she wanted me to fall out a window.” 

When Charlie Banks realizes that Joey is being assaulted on a daily basis, he makes a surprise visit to Brooklyn and threatens the bully, Lenny Bierman. Joey has already been punched in the eye at this point, and Charlie tries to buy a piece of beef steak to use as a cold compress to prevent swelling. When beef is unavailable, he compromises and buys a pork chop. Aunt Carrie Gettinger, a Conservative Jew who maintains a kosher home, is appalled by the presence of pork, which is forbidden by kosher law.

“He was the best friend I ever had and the only one I ever loved until Hazel.”

Charlie Banks is referring to his older brother, Harlan, who essentially took on the responsibility of raising him and protecting him from a physically abusive father. He gives varied answer when questioned about Harlan’s untimely death, often answering that he died after being struck in the head by a baseball pitch. Joey obtains more specific information regarding Harlan by contacting the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Charlie’s hometown of Racine, Wisconsin, and he writes the ballplayer about his brother. Charlie’s response praises Harlan; later in the book, the reader finds that Harlan died while protecting Charlie from his baseball bat wielding father.

“If anybody ever really hurts you, you tell me and I will take care of it.” 

As Joey and Charlie come to know one another better, they develop a contractual relationship agreement. Charlie indicates that their friendship can move forward only if Joey is willing to comply with the specific tenets of the contract, which he requests the boy sign and return. While many of the clauses relate to Joey’s behavior, several of them allow for improvement on Charlie’s part, e.g., realizing that it is not appropriate to “sock” some guy for something that may not have been their fault. Once Charlie enters Joey’s life, he never again experiences abuse by anti-Semitic peers. 

“Second, I was most impressed with your state-by-state analysis of the electorate-particularly since you were 16 votes closer to the truth than the Gallup poll was.”

President Franklin D. Roosevelt writes to Joey in order to express gratitude for the 37 votes the boy secures for him in Brooklyn. Additionally, he is in awe of the boy’s political acumen. As noted, Joey predicted the election results more accurately than the Gallup poll, an agency that specializes in electoral predictions.

“Woodrow pulled the whistle,/Calvin rang the bell,/Franklin gave the signal,/And the country went to Hell.”

Charlie Banks is a Midwestern Protestant who disapproves of liberal stances typically associated with the Democratic party. He is strongly opposed to policies put in place by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The ditty cited above was recited by opponents of Roosevelt’s policies, such as the Lend Lease Program.

“However, since I would not presume to tell you how to bat, why don’t you leave his education to me?” 

Herbert Demarest is the Principal of Alexander Hamilton Junior High School, where Joey is a student. The above quote relates to an unlikely exchange between the Principal and Charlie Banks. It was precipitated by the fact that Joey was sent to Demarest’s office to be disciplined after he delivered a book report critiquing the character of David Copperfield, whom Charlie had advised the boy was a vapid, spineless character. Banks defends his position, indicating that Copperfield is an inappropriate role model for young boys; Demarest responds that perhaps Charlie should restrict his influence to non-academic matters.

“So we threw his clothes off the train somewhere around Baltimore.” 

One of the disadvantages faced by Joey prior to meeting Charlie is his lack of a male role, and modes of humor more typical of men, at home. This changes dramatically once Joey becomes an intrinsic part of the New York Giants and is privy to the antics of the team. On this occasion, a teammate of Charlie’s, Carl Hubbell, engages in vigorous pushups during the train ride to play teams in Florida. As punishment for such obviously obsequious behavior, his teammates discard his clothes through the window of the train, in an effort to prevent him from becoming overly prideful.

“Me and Craig are almost the only two of us on our block who aren’t allowed to go to camp this summer—him because of tilty eyes and me because of not being Gentile.” 

Joey’s best friend lives in the apartment above his in Brooklyn. The two boys often communicate by memos sent by means of a string and pulley system on the fire escape, identifying themselves as “The Shadow” and “The Green Hornet.” Craig Nakamura is Japanese-American and experiences the same sort of discrimination in the neighborhood that Joey has. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, anti-Japanese sentiment results in bullies breaking Craig’s nose and collarbone. In an effort to escape this environment, Mr. Nakamura relocates the family to California, only to have them placed in an internment camp. Joey and Craig maintain their close friendship through middle age. 

“My wife and I expect to be out of the country from Labor Day through early November.” 

As Joey’s 13th birthday approaches, his family and Rabbi Lieberman start to plan his bar mitzvah ceremony, which usually involves the boy and his father reciting selections from the Torah. The rabbi writes to Joey’s biological father, David Margolis, in order to offer weeknight tutelage in preparation for the ceremony. David Margolis makes it clear in his response that he will not be a part of the ceremony, just as he has become absent from his son’s life. Conversely, the fact that Charlie Banks is willing to learn the Hebrew passages and substitute for Joey’s father results in an unbreakable bond between himself and the young boy.

“When Pistol Pete Reiser came up, she called out a blessing on his head and said he was a mensch.”

Association with Charlie Banks creates a new awareness of professional baseball on the part of Joey, his mother, and his Aunt Carrie. They attend Charlie’s games when he is in New York. The normally reserved Aunt Carrie becomes highly involved in the spirit of competition between the teams. In an effort to fluster Reiser, whose team was playing Charlie’s, she distracts him when he is at bat by giving him a loud verbal blessing and calling him a “mensch,” a Yiddish term for a truly decent person. Her technique is effective; Reiser’s team loses to Charlie’s, 32-29.

“But just because your old man does not know a good thing when he’s got one means you cannot have a Bar Mitzvah???”

Prior to Rabbi Lieberman agreeing to make a big exception to Jewish tradition by having a Gentile serve as Joey’s father during his bar mitzvah, the boy writes to Charlie to explain that he will not be able to participate in this ceremony. Charlie, who is possessed of an innate sense of fairness and loyalty to Joey, is appalled by this concept. While Joey found a bright side of the situation and says that he will not have to spend the summer studying Hebrew, Charlie alternately charms and badgers Rabbi Lieberman until he is willing to make an exception by allowing him to be a part of the ceremony.

“I’m either going to have to kill him or put him in the act.”

Hazel McKay, a noted singer of this era, eventually marries Charlie Banks. When the ballplayer establishes a relationship with Charlie and his family, so does Hazel. She helps to entertain Joey while Banks is out of town on road trips, bringing him to supper clubs and expensive Manhattan venues normally out of reach for 12-year-old boys. Eventually, Joey perfects his singing style and becomes a regular part of Hazel McKay’s act.

“But I think he knows the score now and Joey will get his Bar Mitzvah even without that thing he calls a father.” 

Hazel McKay writes to Charlie with suggestions as to how to do with Rabbi Lieberman, whom Charlie refers to as “Rabby” (116). She advises that he avoid vulgar references, e.g., the use of the term “rat’s ass,” during his discussions with the cleric. Ultimately, Rabbi Lieberman and Charlie become close. When the ballplayer is killed in action during World War II, Rabbi Lieberman arranges to have the prayer for the dead said for him at the Temple. This is an honor never extended to Gentiles under normal circumstances.

“‘Because of Jewish ownership and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio and our government,’ he warned, ‘if war comes, they will be blamed for it.’”

A newspaper article details an appearance by Charles Lindbergh, the world-famous aviator. Regrettably, Lindbergh spews anti-Semitic rhetoric. He accuses Jewish people working in the media of conjuring false news stories that will lead America into war unnecessarily.

“Naturally, we are monitoring the Manchurian situation closely and remain convinced that the Japanese have no desire to become embroiled in a world war.”

Stephen Early, White House Press Secretary, writes Joey in response to his concern about an imminent attack by Japan. The boy’s political acumen serves him well once again, as he predicts a situation such as Pearl Harbor. Mr. Early has become quite aware of Joey, his mother, and his aunt, all of whom are rabid Roosevelt supporters.

“Dear Charlie,

Please please please please please please please please please please […].”

Charlie replies to Joey’s plaintive letter indicating that he and Craig Nakamura are the only boys in the neighborhood who will be unable to attend camp. In an offhanded, low-key manner, he adds a post script indicating that the team needs a batboy for their next road trip. He casually asks if Joey knows anybody who might be interested, and Joey responds with an entire sheet of paper repeating the word “please.”

“Dear Mrs. Roosevelt,

I hope you don’t mind, but I had to make a couple of changes.”

Charlie is mandated by his school to enter a national essay contest sponsored by Eleanor Roosevelt on the topic of “If My Father Were President.” After numerous futile attempts to write about his father, Joey changes the topic to write about what would happen if Charlie Banks were President. He writes to Eleanor Roosevelt to explain that he has altered the assignment. Joey is one of only ten national essayists to receive a prize, and he and Charlie visit the White House together as a result. Mrs. Roosevelt, with whom Joey dances the Rhumba, also awards Charlie Banks the “Father of the Year” award during the ceremony.

“Why won’t God let us see him?” 

Charlie has advised Joey that he will do his best to answer any questions that are of concern to him. Joey, who is a combination of a wise-cracking New York City adolescent and a guileless, naive young boy, writes the ballplayer with a list of questions. Charlie admits that he does not know the answer to some of them. With regard to the above question, Charlie answers that God looks like all of the people in Joey’s life who love him.

“They will not tell us where we are going after here on account of what if one of us knows Hirohoto and spills the beans at dinner with him.”

Charlie, an intense patriot, enlists in the Marines despite Joey’s objections. He realizes that Joey will follow his journey to the Pacific and hopes to spare him unnecessary worry. Consequently, he devises a system of creating an acronym for his destination by using the first letter of the second sentence in every letter. Conversely, Charlie has little patience for the petty bureaucracy and self-important training sergeants whom he encounters. His letters are filled with sarcastic critiques of what he perceives to be mindless rules.