Summary

In “Gussie.,” Esther and Joseph take Gussie to the beach, where they are joined by Florence and Anna. Gussie is mesmerized by the quick wit of adults. She observes Florence chatting with Stuart, Florence’s swim coach, and wishes she was grown up. Anna is there too. Anna is a young German Jewish immigrant staying with the Adlers. Gussie dislikes her even though Anna is kind and attentive. The adults chat about how Florence intends on swimming the whole of the English Channel. It is now June and she is scheduled to leave for France in August. Gussie is temporarily under her grandparent’s care as her mother, Fannie, is in the hospital, pregnant. Florence and Fannie live in different cities, but they come together each summer to stay in their childhood apartment with their parents in Atlantic City. At one...