The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-04-23
A Quarter to Spend

KINNEY walking slowly down one of the side
streets.
He wasn't going anywhere in particular, merely
sort of dragging his little legs in forward motion
And that he did listlessly, as tho he wasn't con-
scious of the fact that he was walking at ALL Sud-
denly he slackened his gait, and began thinking
kind of. 1t wasn't regular thinking. "Oh, shucks"
he'd say awkwardly; "you know how it feels when
Teller has troubles his mind; and Jimmey had
lots of trouble his young mind.
Soon he ceased stepping entirely, his feet came
to an abrupt halt, pair Of dals cease to move
on watch that stops going. He leaned against the
window pane of neighborhood book store, looking
hungrily at the display Of books His right hand
lifted the cap off his head which he folded in two
and using it a fan began shaking it in front of
his face.
Jimmey was slim, dark-skinned boy of fourteen.
His lean face pimpled and coated by sickly
pallor which visible behind beads of Precipitation
that continually moistened his features. He wore a
blue suit The right leg of his trousers was buckled
over the knee, while the other hung loosely down
covering large hole in his stocking. His waist I'M
buttoned at the neck held under its collar loosely
knitted tie, the ends of which he kept twisting
around his right index finger. "Whew but it's hot"
he calculated suddenly, allowing the back of his
hand to glide across his moist brow.
Jimmey had quarter to spend 1t was his first
bit of real spending money in long while; the fruit
OF a weeks toll And, there were so many ways in
which to spend it. So many things he longed for with
longing that only youth can feel
Gee" he lamented sorrowfully as his fingers
felt the piece of silver lying in his pocket "If
nom would only have made it half I'd been
able to get most everythin'." More than anything
else, Jlmmey had his heart set upon seeing a movie
and vaudeville show combined. He hadn't been to
one in years; that he figured should cost at least
twenty cents if he sat in the gallery. Then he
wanted to get some candy what good is looking at
show he argued if you amt got something to
m md n birctr,
ice cream soda.
Jimmey heaved deep sigh and continued toying
with his silver coin, trying hard to decide upon
which of the three desires to omit
Some minutes later he slumped away from the
book store window and walked thru the moving
columns of people. He seemed hardly conscious of
the swarming masses chat zgzagged -oout him. His
face gradually became animated b. an overwhelming
perple1iy which overshadowed his temporary desire
to indulge in sport The corners of his mouth screw
ed up into two detected lines which soon lost their
indentity in the pale halow of his cheeks
Words began to form into sentences and rotate
around in his head. Sentences which lost their
meaning to him. He utterly confused by the
many problems which weighed on his mind Only
word broke thru his silent soliloquies which he
distinguished from the rest and that one syllable
SCAB beat steady tattoo against his hopelessly
baffled senses He did not understand its mean
ing, yet the letters of the word S-C-A-B separated
and each letter danced teasingly before his eyes,
He continued sauntering along, until he passed
gaily decorated theatre. There he paused to gaze
at the colored posters, forgetting temporarily his
unhappiness.
Jimmey worked in sweater factory. Yester-
day he received his first pay. 1t was a small yell
low envelope with his full name scrawled in the
center, and its contents eleven dollars and sixty
cents marked in 1t was handed to him by
a cashier as he walked out of the factory at noon.
He pocketed it with the suppressed joy Of student
oI,,ots L..
out of the building His limpid blue eyes were
ablaze with keen delight, which was intermingled
with apparent uneasiness.
1t was Jimmeys first week at work and he felt
vaguely elated. He found the job after despairing
search. He liked his work too; it was a bit hard
at first but he willing to work hard; beside he
was promised promotion soon, and, the pay twenty
five cents an hour than he hoped to re-
ceve for start.
snow, MON can take things easy with me work.