Then I though of my brothers and sisters at home with my mother?they were probably waiting for news from me. I thought of the three million unemployed people in this country...it made me think that the suffering I was going through right now didn't matter a bit. I tried to encourage myself... those who can endure more than others can achieve more than others?My spirits lifted a bit, and I walked on with a stronger stride.

     Tanak was walking in front of me - - he was also walking with a strong stride. Every time he stuffed a newsapaper in someone's mailbox, he would tell me the names of the people who lived in that house. I used a flashlight to look at the subscriber's name cards, then repeated the name to myself so that I would remember it. We walked up one street and over to the next. We walked up and down small roads and narrow alleyways. By the time we finished delivering the last of the two hundred and fifty newspapers, it was just starting to get light.

     We hurriedly started for the road home. I was hungry and I felt a dull pain in my belly. The day before I had given up my six dollars and twenty cents to the boss for a security deposit. I hadn't eaten any dinner. In the past few days I'd watch my money gradually disappear. It was making me feel more and more anxious, and I hadn't even eaten a single proper meal. As soon as we got back I imagined there would be sweet smelling soymilk and hot rice waiting, we would be able to eat right away until our belles were full. I though about this until it seemed as though the food was already in fron of me. My mouth began to water. All thoughts of my cold feet, tied body, and the dull ache in my belle were pushed to the back of my head.

     Then I realized that Tanaka wasn't taking me back to the shop. He was moving forward into a small alleyway. Then he was standing in front of a small restaurant on the corner of the street. Iwas in a daze - - everything seemed incomprehensible. I had been certain that the Newspaper Company would provide hot meals for us, but now Tanka had brought me to this small resturaunt and I didn't have any money left.

     "Tanaka," I called to Tanaka who was about to push the restaurant door open, "Tanka, I don't have any money. Yesterday I agve my last six dollars and twenty cents to the boss for the security deposit? Tanaka stopped and stared at me dully for a moment.

  Prev   |27|28|29|30|31|32|33|34|35|36|37|   Next