The Replacement 1.4

School let out in Budapest. Spring showed it new shoots. Joseph and Hans spent nearly every day at the Schwartz residence because of all the books. They played but they also read with the Schwartz boys in the study.

It was April 14th, German columns moved through the streets of Budapest to cheers on the way to the southern eastern front. Interspersed were Hungarian units.

"Ezra the drains are all clogged and the plunger does not work." Zsa Zsa reported to him just before lunch.

"It could be spring root growth. Perhaps I can get it. We do have a short snake." Ezra went to find the snake which was about fifty feet long. Sasha helped. First they found the "T" outside thinking that they could go down it and clear the drain. They were right. They could see the pipe was full of water and when they opened the plug water came bubbling up into the yard. It smelled horrible.

"You did it," Zsa Zsa came running out of the house, "You did it!"

"We haven't done anything yet Zsa Zsa!" Sasha yelled back.

"We just opened the 'T' and the house drained so we know that the clog is further down." Ezra said to Zsa Zsa, "Don't use anything yet."

"Oh that is horrible." Zsa Zsa said as Ezra guided the snake down into the drain.

"The grass will grow very well here." Sasha joked.

Ezra guided the snake while Sasha went to the end to turn it. "There is no resistance Ezra...wait I have hit something." Sasha said.

"Yes, I can feel it, keep turning, probably roots." Ezra said and Sasha turned the snake as fast as he could which spun the blade down in the drain and ground something up in there. As he turned, he moved closer to Ezra.

"It is getting very hard to turn." Sasha said.

"Pull it out." Ezra said. Sasha turned and pulled. Zsa Zsa helped him pull. Out came a bunch of roots. Together they clean the roots off the blades.

"It's still not draining." Ezra observed, "Let's go down in again." The snake was fed into the drain and again they pulled out more roots and the snake was in all the way. "While we have this open, let's go toward the house this time."

They went toward the house but hit nothing and the drain was still not draining. "There should be no more roots in the line because the rest of the drain has no bushes or plants until it hits the sewer." Ezra said.

"We could go into the sewer before we call Iyorgi." Sasha offered.

"Yes, let's do that but for now we shall leave this open. In case we have to come back." Ezra said, "And we might not be able to get in there because of the spring runoff. but we should try."

"Is it dangerous?" Zsa Zsa asked.

"It's why plumbers get paid a lot but I have done worse things." Ezra answered. "We could save a lot if we can get it but we will need to thoroughly bathe and disinfect after we are done."

"I will run the tub for you." Zsa Zsa said.

Ezra and Sasha rolled up the snake and went to the shed where each grabbed a heavy crow bar. Then they went out to the street. The boys were on guard in case traffic came by while they worked in the sewer. There was not much chance of that except for delivery people as the neighborhood was very quiet.

They popped open the manhole cover and looked in.

"Oh my God!" The men screamed and quickly replaced the cover before the boys could look in. The sewer was packed with bodies, suitcases, clothing where the bags had burst. Ezra and Sasha stood looking at each other. After a few minutes of just staring at each other Ezra said,

"I will report this to the regent personally."

"I will go with you to witness this." Sasha replied.

"What is it?" All the boys asked over and over again.

"Nothing for you to be concerned with." Ezra and Sasha said together, "Now go back in the house."

"Can the drain be fixed by us?" Zsa Zsa asked the men as they came into change.

"We will just let it drain into the yard for now." Ezra said, "Nothing to worry about. The water is too high for us to enter the sewer. We will wait until the water level drops and then it will be able to be fixed by us. right Sasha?"

"Yes, the water level must go down and then we will get the clog fixed for certain."

There was a knock at the door and Ezra went to answer it. It was two neighbors from two different houses across the street.
"We saw you out in the street, our drains are clogged, everyone's drain is clogged. What do you know?"

"The sewer is full of debris and the water is high, come on back with us to the study and have a drink while we propose a plan of action."

"A plan of action for the sewer." Lazlo asked suspicious?

"Come to study and don't ask any questions until we can explain it to you." Sasha said to Lazlo. The men all walked back to the study except for Ezra who said to Zsa Zsa,

"It is time the boys went home and everyone stays inside because the street might flood. Tell them to tell Hilda the drains are clogged and we will be heading downtown to the sewer department to report the problem."

"I will take them over and tell her."

"That is good," Zsa Zsa.

"Do you want some lunch? And you need to wash." Zsa Zsa observed.

"Lunch is good, washing can wait until we are done talking with Lazlo and Yul." Ezra said.

"Okay I will let Ela know to bring the lunch to the study." Zsa Zsa said.

"Yes, that is good." Ezra turned and walked to the study to join the other men. His personal history of the sight of mass death in the war was one thing. This was another and he needed just one stiff drink.

Part 1.1
Part 1.2
Part 1.3
Part 1.4
Part 1.5
Part 1.6

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