Regina Cohen - April 18, 1982
Going to Canada
So what eventually happened? You came to Canada....
I came to Canada, to Montreal, to a family uh, uh, Weinar, who had two little boys. It was really just to be uh, almost like babysitting. And mother's helper is what they call it, a mother's helper. Until the lady decided one Sunday that I should clean all the silver that has been standing for years.
Mm.
And I rebelled so badly because she didn't treat me with kindness. I was looked upon as a, um, a lesser person because of where I come from, I guess. And of course my brother had lived in Detroit already. And he was, he had come to visit me once. And he call...telephoned me. And one--and he arranged with some people in Windsor, which was just across from Detroit, that they would allow me to stay out the balance of the year. I had to do one year for the government of Canada for--because they paid my fare.
Mm-hm.
And I just left that family in Montreal. Took my--whatever I had, got a train, got on it, came to Windsor. And I went to the employment agency and I explained that I wasn't going to stay--of course, I didn't say I was not treated--or something like that. I just said--I had, I had really--the truth was I had nobody there, just some acquaintances I made, you know, in the camp as you...
Mm-hm.
...meet uh, and on the ship. But I says, I have one brother living in Detroit and he would be able to cross over to come and visit me and I'm--I want to stay here. And the employment agency, they just said "Okay." I stayed with another nice Jewish family, Kaplans--really nice--'til the government said I was--I had paid them back. Then I worked in Windsor anywhere uh, mostly a--just a clerk...
Mm-hm.
...in uh, grocery stores--wherever uh, antique shop, a clerk--until I got married, then I became a momma.
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