To the Editor,

Bieda sits round shouldered next to her table.  She is small, hair back in a bun, an apron over her faded dress.  She doesn’t have dentures, having lost her teeth long ago, however, she always manages to gum her food by chewing carefully.  She sits quietly with a slight smile on her round face.  Though she doesn’t hear well, she is happy to have my mother Tina and my sister, Martha, and myself over to visit her.  Her small kitchen is always hot, heated with a wood stove.  There are colorful handmade curtains on two windows, one over a pullout couch with a bed underneath.  We loved to sit on it and hear it squeak.  She always had coffee in the pot on the stove which is reheated many times during each day.

Mother visited her for awhile while we girls played.  Mother proceeded to get out the Finnish newspaper she brought along from home. The paper was from the American Uutiset which had a popular romantic series, and the current episode which my mom wanted to read to Bieda.  It was a romanssi story all in Finnish.

Although Bieda couldn’t hear well, she sat quietly, slightly smiling, her hands on her lap as Mother began her reading.  She read with such enthusiasm and energy, being sure to speak as clearly and loudly as she could.  The romanssii story was long and we sat patiently while Bieda listened.

As she continued her animated expression, we could tell our mother loved the story and sharing it with Bieda meant a lot to her.  I’m not sure how long she read, but knowing how long the story looked on the newspaper page, it was a very long time.  

Finally, Mother finished reading, then looked at Bieda expectedly.  Bieda looked at her blankly and said “Hah?” 

Mother replied “Haven’t you been listening?”  Mother was visibly upset, while Martha and I tried to hide our smirks.  This story stays vivid in my mind because of the length of time and energy it took to read.

Grandma Bieda was the sweetest person. She made the best Finnish flat bread which she claimed tasted the best after the third day.   She emigrated with my mother and sister Hilja from Finland in 1920.  My Grandpa Johann Sivukangas came prior, becoming an indentured servant in order to send for her and her daughters.  Grandpa tried to take the Titanic but it was full, so he took another vessel.

Ruth Koehler,

New York Mills