Mid afternoon; A neighbor watching Michael and Elli until Mitchell’s mother arrived.
Heading out the door.
“What’s in the bag?”
“Nothing.”
Her green, imitation lizard overnight case packed and in the trunk for the past four days.
“Mitchell,” smiling through the pain. “what’s in the bag?”
Taking her elbow, “Now’s the third time.”
“Yeah,” clutching her stomach, “I know. But why the bag?”
Opening the door, helping Marsha as she sat and laboriously turned on the seat.
“Here.” Handing her the brown paper bag. “See for yourself.”
Rushing around the rear of the car, getting inside, reversing then pulling forward, the Ford peeled out of the communal driveway.
“Mitchell,” laughing so hard she could barely get the words out...
“Hospital’s almost an hour from here and now’s our third run.”
“You’d do it?” Holding a receiving blanket, towel, and a smaller bag containing scissors, a bottle of iodine and a spool of white thread. “You’d deliver the baby?”
“Well, yeah, if I had to.”
“Yeah, sure... emmm,” clutching her stomach, “you’d see the head pop out and, if I know you, you’d faint.”
Thinking, She’s probably right. “Gee,” he said, “thanks for the vote of confidence.”
*
October 20, 1962
Samuel
Named after Eli’s younger brother, Samuel, who was killed in the early days of World War Two, Samuel Cole Lipensky came into the world at 3:21 a.m. on October, 20, 1962.
Retrospective
Monday, October 15, 1962: A U-2 high level reconnaissance jet recorded pictures of nuclear missile sites being assembled in Cuba.
Tuesday, October 16, 1962: Military advisors and President John F. Kennedy discussed two options: air strikes and a blockade.
Wednesday, October 17, 1962: The military discovered that the Cuban missiles could reach as far away as Washington state.
Thursday, October 18, 1962: The Soviets completely deny that they have nuclear missiles in Cuba.
Friday, October 19, 1962: The president met with the secretary of defense and members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before leaving on a scheduled campaign trip to Ohio and Illinois.
*
Saturday, October 20, 1962
The public unaware, under the public guise of an “upper respiratory infection,” President Kennedy returned to Washington from Chicago after being convinced that he must meet again with the Joint Chiefs to discuss, among other things, the discovery of additional Soviet missiles in Cuba.
As the world tottered on the bring of nuclear war, once again, of slightly less significance, weighing seven pounds four ounces, Samuel Cole Lipensky came into the world at 3:21 a.m. on October, 20, 1962.
*
Sunday, October 21, 1962
President Kennedy discussed in detail with his advisors the two major plans of action a quarantine or air strike.
*
Monday, October 22, 1962
On the evening of the second day following the birth of her third child, enjoying the scent of a new born baby and the warm, pleasant sensation, her eyes closed, Marsha Lipensky lay with her son to her breast.
In the background, the droning tone of the television changed to:
“We interrupt our scheduled programming to being you this message.”
Marsha’s attention drawn to the television as:
“Good evening my fellow citizens.” The president of the United States of America said:
“This Government, as promised, has maintained the closest surveillance of the Soviet Military buildup on the island of Cuba. Within the past week, unmistakable evidence has established the fact that a series of offensive missile sites is now in preparation on that imprisoned island. The purpose of these bases can be none other than to provide a nuclear strike capability against the Western Hemisphere.
Upon receiving the first preliminary hard information of this nature last Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m., I directed that our surveillance be stepped up. And having now confirmed and completed our evaluation of the evidence and our decision on a course of action, this Government feels obliged to report this new crisis to you in fullest detail.”
....
To halt this offensive buildup, a strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment under shipment to Cuba is being initiated. All ships of any kind bound for Cuba from whatever nation or port will, if found to contain cargoes of offensive weapons, be turned back. This quarantine will be extended, if needed, to other types of cargo and carriers. We are not at this time, however, denying the necessities of life as the Soviets attempted to do in their Berlin blockade of 1948
...
It shall be the policy of this Nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union."
...
The president’s speech concluded with:
“My fellow citizens: let no one doubt that this is a difficult and dangerous effort on which we have set out. No one can see precisely what course it will take or what costs or casualties will be incurred. Many months of sacrifice and self-discipline lie ahead – months in which our patience and our will will be tested, months in which many threats and denunciations will keep us aware of our dangers. But the greatest danger of all would be to do nothing.
The path we have chosen for the present is full of hazards, as all paths are – but it is the one most consistent with our character and courage as a nation and our commitments around the world. The cost of freedom is always high – and Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender or submission.
Our goal is not the victory of might, but the vindication of right – not peace at the expense of freedom, but both peace and freedom, here in this hemisphere, and, we hope, around the world. God willing, that goal will be achieved.
Thank you and good night.”
*
Tuesday, October 23, 1962, 7:30 A.M.
“Mitchie, come and get us. I want to go home!”
“Baby, you’re supposed to be in the hospital for five days and it’s only been...”
“I don’t care!” Verging on hysteria, “If we’re having an atomic war I want to be home!” Shouting in the phone, Come and get us!”
“Sure, baby. I’ll drop the kids at my mom’s and we’ll get you checked out of there.
“Hurry, Mitchie! I want to be with my kids.”
*
On October 22, 1962, after reviewing newly acquired intelligence, President John F. Kennedy informed the world that the Soviet Union was building secret missile bases in Cuba, a mere 90 miles off the shores of Florida.
After weighing such options as an armed invasion of Cuba and air strikes against the missiles, Kennedy decided on a less dangerous response. In addition to demanding that Russian Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev remove all the missile bases and their deadly contents, Kennedy ordered a naval quarantine (blockade) of Cuba in order to prevent Russian ships from bringing additional missiles and construction materials to the island.
In response to the American naval blockade, Premier Khrushchev authorized his Soviet field commanders in Cuba to launch their tactical nuclear weapons if invaded by U.S. forces.
Deadlocked in this manner, the two leaders of the world's greatest nuclear superpowers stared each other down for seven days...
...Until Khrushchev blinked.
On October 28, thinking better of prolonging his challenge to the United States, the Russian Premier conceded to President Kennedy's demands by ordering all Soviet supply ships away from Cuban waters and agreeing to remove the missiles from Cuba's mainland.
After several days of teetering on the brink of nuclear holocaust, the world breathed a sigh of relief.
