As I woke up from a beautiful dream of having my luxurious home and my enormous bedroom filled with bright content colors, I remembered that it was all gone. I do not have any of that anymore. I now wake up reminded every day that I live in a tiny, smelly cardboard box. I can taste the smell of the stench on my lips and feel the dirt wondering through my hair. I hate being reminded every day what I now have to live in and how my new life is.
The same thing happens every day. Dad gets up extra early, puts his finest outfit on, and goes to discover some work. On good days he will earn very little money but it is better than nothing. He goes out to buy cheap things that we need. Mom’s routine is to wake up a little earlier than Dad to make him her famous pancakes. They are not as worthy as they used to be because we can’t afford the decent ingredients, but Dad still tells her it’s the best thing ever. She then eats the very little left overs and cleans the small house up. She is very worried that baby won’t make it in her belly. She doesn’t eat enough for one person let alone two. Every day she tries to make it seem there is hope coming very soon but we all know this will last a little while. She likes to make sure everyone has a smile on their face and is doing all right. Then there’s me, James, who used to once have hope in my life. I wake up, gather wood for the fire, and help Mom with any other chores. I once made a friend and Dad yelled at me to get away. He roared at me when he found out I was friends with a black girl. She was so lovely and elegant. We had everything in common like living in a ratty, old cardboard box from a dumpster, had very little resources, and no money. Her dad didn’t care for me and I never knew why until my dad yelled at me. We now have our secret hiding places where our parents won’t catch us.
At night Dad comes home and you never know what mood he will be in. He tries to make the best of everything but sometimes it’s difficult to do. He has a great deal of pressure on him now. To get our minds off of the tough times, we like to play games, sing songs, and read books. When it is supper time, Dad eats very little and Mom frequently skips out on the meal just so I can get food to grow huge and strong. When we go to bed, we have to put the fire out so it doesn’t burn the cardboard while we are sleeping. We all clinch together and throw on many layers of blankets and wear the clothes that we possess. Then the next day is the same thing.
Sometimes I like to switch it up and sneak out to hang out with some friends. Mom thinks I’m gathering up logs for the fire but I will form an excuse. We like to play soccer in the field around our houses or sometimes walk around town. I make sure I am home before Dad, so he doesn’t get mad I was gone.
That night, there was a horrific winter storm. We could see it coming so we made sure we put extra wood on the sides so our home doesn’t tumble over. We had to put the fire out for the sake of our home. It became very cold and I could feel the watery snow on my cheeks and the fierce wind hitting my face. I eventually fell asleep and woke up later than usual the next morning. Things were different and I couldn’t figure out why until I saw moms eyes filled with many tears. I had no idea what was going on until I got up and asked. Dad was gone and he usually leaves a little later to go to work. Mom explained that Dad went to work early to get some extra cash. Things were getting even rougher.
Weeks went by and Mom’s belly was getting even bigger. She still doesn’t eat much so I cut down on my food and give it to her. It was becoming spring so it was nice weather and no more excruciating cold weather. We had to start getting new materials for our home since the wetness was making it damp to make it collapse. I don’t have very many friends anymore since they now have jobs or moved away. Their Dad’s traveled to get jobs to provide for their families from far away. I don’t want my dad to ever move away. There are just a couple small kids around my age to play with but I have to secretly do it since they are black. They are really nice and fun to be around but every time Mom yells at me and I get a whole ear full of why I shouldn’t be around them. I still do though because it’s nice to be with someone when there are tough times. We like to play Monopoly which is a new game that everyone loves. It takes our minds off of the life we live and makes us feel wealthy.
YOU ARE READING
Hooverville
Ficțiune istoricăA boy finds a way to survive the hard times of the 30s. His family and him were once rich and they have to now change their lifestyle to make it through the hard times.
