An Ordinary Housewife
Sandy Powers
July 19, 2011
There are times in life when ordinary people do extraordinary things. Such was the case of my mother, Grace Balogh.
Grace was a busy mother of five children, a wife, a P.T.A. member, and a volunteer for the Red Cross. An average housewife in Middle America. Nothing noteworthy until November, 1949, when she answered a knock on the door to two men dressed in suits.
"My name is David Wible and," pointing to the fellow standing next to him, "he is Thomas Nesbit. We´re federal agents. May we come in?"
Now, that alone would be astonishing for most of us. How often does a federal agent knock on our door? But the story doesn´t end there. David Wible continued.
"As I´m sure you are well aware, Mrs. Balogh, Russia now has the Atomic Bomb. We´re on the brink of disaster. A Cold War has started. Communists in this country are going underground, working to overthrow our government. Your town, Lorain, is especially volatile. We need someone to infiltrate these groups."
It took my mother twenty-four hours to answer the call by her government. Twenty-four hours to begin a five year secret life unknown to her family and friends. Five years of sacrifice, fear, and scorn.
Years later she wrote in her journal, I was surprised I answered yes. But I love my country. We are so lucky to live in a Democracy. I just hope we have enough sense to keep it.
This is true Patriotism: a love of country without preconceived agendas. An unconditional love of country that does not demand identical beliefs. This is the true America where ordinary people are not so ordinary after all.
Grace was a busy mother of five children, a wife, a P.T.A. member, and a volunteer for the Red Cross. An average housewife in Middle America. Nothing noteworthy until November, 1949, when she answered a knock on the door to two men dressed in suits.
"My name is David Wible and," pointing to the fellow standing next to him, "he is Thomas Nesbit. We´re federal agents. May we come in?"
Now, that alone would be astonishing for most of us. How often does a federal agent knock on our door? But the story doesn´t end there. David Wible continued.
"As I´m sure you are well aware, Mrs. Balogh, Russia now has the Atomic Bomb. We´re on the brink of disaster. A Cold War has started. Communists in this country are going underground, working to overthrow our government. Your town, Lorain, is especially volatile. We need someone to infiltrate these groups."
It took my mother twenty-four hours to answer the call by her government. Twenty-four hours to begin a five year secret life unknown to her family and friends. Five years of sacrifice, fear, and scorn.
Years later she wrote in her journal, I was surprised I answered yes. But I love my country. We are so lucky to live in a Democracy. I just hope we have enough sense to keep it.
This is true Patriotism: a love of country without preconceived agendas. An unconditional love of country that does not demand identical beliefs. This is the true America where ordinary people are not so ordinary after all.
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