THE RUNAWAY

            Ferenc Mikus, a young Hungarian farmer, and his wife dream of buying a combine because in a country where everyone else farms by hand labor such mechanization would make them rich. In 1912, when Ferenc is 17, his father János dies. Ferenc, who closely resembles János, decides to use his father’s passport to go to America illegally and pursue his dream.

            At Ellis Island, Ferenc’s luck runs out and he is interrogated by immigration officials. Although he speaks English, Ferenc doesn’t let on that he understands their questions and shrugs in silence. His frustrated interrogator steps out for a break. Knowing this may be his only chance to avoid deportation, Ferenc peeks out the door and sees an empty hallway. He walks out of the building and never looks back.

            He travels to another city in New York to visit relatives, who support his story, and uses his father’s name. When questions about János Mikus arise, Ferenc changes back to his real name for a while and moves to a boarding house in Baltimore. One day, his landlady motions for Ferenc to come over and asks who’s that man he’s pitching horseshoes with.

            “Oh, he’s just a friend of mine,” Ferenc says.

            “Well, he’s been around here twice asking about you, so I’d watch out,” his landlady tells him.

            Ferenc goes to his room, packs up his belongings, and flees. Around the same time, he gets word that he’s been drafted back in the old country for WWI. Knowing that eventually they will come looking for him, he changes his name to Harry Jones and, after seeing an ad for job opportunities in the coal mines of West Virginia, catches the train there and is hired helping a crew lay rail lines in the mountains.

            After they lay the rails all out, Harry kneels and holds the railroad spike while an enormous African American man named Elijah swings an eight-pound hammer to drive in the spike. Then a third man, Will, hits it again and the job is done. “What if Elijah misses?” Harry asks.

            “You don’t miss,” Will says.

            Harry works there for years. Nobody misses. Ever.

            Harry sends part of his pay back to his wife Ilona overseas. Eventually, Ilona comes to America for a visit. When she returns to Hungary to buy the combine, WWI breaks out and she’s trapped there. The combine rusts in the field. Harry never sees her again.

            He continues working in the coal fields. A handsome man, he spends all his money on clothes, buying quality material and having his suits handmade. Years later, he tells his son Charlie that the streetcar cost five cents to ride, and he had two cents in his pocket. Harry remarries and lives for a time in a coal mining town where everything is owned by the mine owners. In a time of great unrest and violence, mine workers unionize to demand better pay and work conditions, and no longer be forced to buy everything at the company store. 

            Charlie, who grew up to be a dentist in Kentucky, twice tries to get his father legal. One of Charlie’s patients is a federal judge who promises he’ll see to it.

             “That judge might do it,” Harry tells his son. “But once they know who I am, it’s in the hands of the government and all bets are off. Even if they don’t send me back, they might mess up my retirement or social security. Just leave well enough alone.”

            The authorities never catch up with Harry.

            But every time his son watches that old TV show “The Fugitive” Harry gets up and leaves the room.

© 2025 Rick Neumayer

“The Runaway” will appear in the forthcoming THREE FOGGY MORNINGS: Stories by Rick Neumayer. If you like this one, I’d love to hear from you.