Jane Cutler

Things were tough for Ben and his family. With no father to help with expenses, everyone in the family had to work. His mother worked in a factory, in addition to holding a job as a milliner's apprentice; his sister sold tickets at the movie theater. Ben's older brother quit school and worked full-time. His mother worked as many extra hours as possible, still, there wasn't enough to make ends meet. Two cousins arrived from the old country and lived with them, sleeping on cots in the kitchen, and while the apartment was crowded, they helped when they could find employment.

Ben knew he needed to get a job as well as all the others. Mr. Green, the hatmaker needed someone to help after school. Ben was only twelve. He was little and skinny. Still, he had a driven attitude and when Mr. Green gave him a bike to ride that had a basket filled with silk circles that were linings for hats, Ben knew he had to learn how to ride the bike and where to deliver the linings.

The first day of work was a day when the sun was shining, Ben's spirits were free. He road the bik past the bowling alley where his brother worked to align the balls.

Ben drove past the theatre where his sister sold tickets. Looking at her, he could see her sitting in the box, looking like a bird in the cage.

No father, a mother that worked as many hours as possible, a brother who constantly picked up the heavy pins and set them in position again, and a sister who, when wearing makeup, looked so much older than she really was. Driving the bike a few more blocks, he stopped to see his mother. She could not stop to see him. She worked piece rate and it was a greuling, demanding job to sew as many pieces as possible in a constant manner. Then, he heard his mother and her co-workers sing Yiddish songs, and this made Ben happy to hear their voices singing above the drone of the sewing machines.

Now, Ben saw the hill he had to climb to deliver the silk pieces of hat linings. How in the world could a skinny, underweight little boy peddle enough to get to the top. He told himself it was possible, and he vowed to find a way to make it be an easy feat. Holding on to the back of the street car might be the answer for Ben. But, suddenlty the street car jerked and Ben did as well.
All the linings were scattered throughout the hill

When he heard the conductor yell and call him a Guttersnipe, Ben felt utterly defeated. All the linings flew up in the air and Ben knew they were going to be dirty when they landed. And, Ben wondered hopelessly, how would it be impossible to find every one of the linings before they blew away. But then, miraculously, the wind blew Ben up, up with the pieces of material. Swirling in the air, surrounded by bring colored pieces of material, somehow changed Ben's spirits. He knew it was his first day, and there would be more to come, better days when all would work out just fine.

He may be from the lowest economic class, but he was clean, his mother worked hard to make him presentable. His family loved each other and together they worked hard. Being poor was not a choice. Working hard was a choice..a good choice. With head held high, Ben knew there would be better days.

4.5 Stars… (mais)