Morris Goldman and the Scrap Yard

Noah's years working for Morris Goldman, the friendship they formed, and the financial gift that allowed him to buy the house.

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Working at the Scrap Yard

A New Beginning Leaving New Bern After Allie's departure, Noah left New Bern to escape his memories and find work. He went to Norfolk, then to New Jersey, where he found a job in a scrap yard. The owner, Morris Goldman, was a Jewish man who believed a war was coming and that scrap metal would be valuable. Hard Work and Integrity Noah worked hard, guided by his father's principle: "Give a day's work for a day's pay." Goldman appreciated his work ethic and took him under his wing. Over the years, Noah learned the business, and when Goldman's health declined, Noah ran the entire operation. The yard became the largest scrap-metal dealer on the East Coast. A Father Figure Goldman became a father figure to Noah. He often joked, "It's a shame you aren't Jewish, you're such a fine boy in so many other ways." Noah respected Goldman deeply, and the bond between them was strong.

Goldman's Gift

A Generous Legacy The Certificate When Noah enlisted in 1942, Goldman gave him a certificate entitling him to a small percentage of the scrap yard if it was ever sold. "I couldn't have done it without you," Goldman wrote. "You're the finest young man who ever worked for me, even if you aren't Jewish." The Windfall Goldman died in 1944, and the business was sold. Noah, now back in New Bern after the war, received a letter from a lawyer. He met with him and learned that the estate had been liquidated, and he was given a check for almost seventy thousand dollars. It was a fortune. The Dream Realized With that money, Noah bought the plantation house he had dreamed of since he was a teenager. He poured his savings into restoring it, fulfilling a promise he had made to Allie fourteen years earlier. Goldman's gift had made it possible.

Buying the House

A Dream Fulfilled The Purchase Noah returned to New Bern in December 1945 and immediately bought the old plantation house that had captured his imagination as a teenager. The house was built in 1772 and was one of the oldest and largest in New Bern. It was in disrepair, but Noah saw its potential. The Restoration Begins He spent the next eleven months and a small fortune restoring the house. He worked day and night, often until past midnight, fixing the roof, replacing windows, and refinishing the floors. He hired help when needed, but much of the work was his own. The house became his sanctuary, a place to build a future. A Symbol of Hope The house represented everything Noah had hoped for. It was a tangible connection to his past—the place where he had first told Allie of his dreams—and a promise of a future. He often thought of Allie as he worked, wondering if she would ever see it finished.

1933-1941, in New Jersey

After Noah enlists in 1942; then after the war in 1945

December 1945