The wind was brisk against the planes of my face. The cold was coming and it was coming fast. Our little tent shook with each passing wind as we huddled together, my mother and I, for warmth. The distant sounds of city life sounded around us. Sirens, blaring horns, turning wheels, and the soft murmur of voices.They belonged to people who looked down on my mother and I. These people held their heads high to we beggars on the sidewalk. They dismissed us like they were disgusted, like we were garbage. A gust found its way through the small gap in our tent soaked through my thin beige sweater. Momma had found my sweater for me in the trash outside a fancy hotel she said. I remember being purely astounded that someone would throw something this nice away. At the age of ten I was growing taller and taller every year so it was more than necessary that momma dive for clothes. Another heart shaking shiver sent momma into a crying tissy as she wept for the world. I was told that where we lived was called Michigan. Though I scarcely knew anything. There were many like me and momma that lived without a home. After the failure of the government we were no longer supported by their help. Momma had lost her job when I was four. Since then we have been like this;living day by day scavenging for food and supplies. There was not much else to do. Since the Depression started there was obviously no work for me or Momma. Every now and then there were soup kitchens opened by our good Samaritan Center. My Pappa had left us many years ago to live another life because we were not good enough for him. I never even remember his face. Momma's arms tightened around me protectively as she braced us for another brutal late Autumn wind. Her tears leaked on to my hair.
"My sweet, you know Momma loves you right?'
"Of course Momma I know."
"Pray my dear Addy. The lord knows only mercy."
And we bowed our heads in prayer. I prayed for wealth for Momma. I prayed that one day I might meet my father, I prayed that the sun would shine with all its fury. Gently, Momma kiss my tangled curls and covered me in the blanket we shared. And we slept, in the tent on the sidewalk in the middle of Detroit. I knew no different but that was when I realized that to find the true happiness of life you need someone to love you. Momma loved me that way and I her. With that I began to dream of nothing but that moment. The complaints of the snobbish were merely whispers of the calming winds.
