Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-07-25
Short Story
BY Mark HelIinger
Saga Of Success

THE TENEMENTS were old There was
no warmth in their stones and they seemed
to lean together for protection. The insdes
were cold and damp, aud yellow gas light
argued with the darkness.
Broken windows were stuffed with paper, The
women. fat and moody, sat at the front win
dows The children were pale and pinched. and
they fought boodily IN the blue shadows The
men labored hard 10 the factories by dsy-And
harder in saloons by night
Consciousness OF his surroundings came TO
Prank at the sac OF nine. He stopped plAyins
one day and looked al the neighborhood. He
didn't like IT, suddenly, II made him feel angry
and sick.
He never played again He ran into the hall
way There was a smell. The walls were cracked,
and the green paint peeled in patches lie ran
ND three flights OF stairs and watched his mother
stir stew.
She was fat and heavy lidded. Now and then
she paused In her stirring to change diaper
Or 70 shout scrosS the hall 10 a neighbor Or TO
send Franks older brother out for another can
OF beer
That Saturday, Frank took his first job He
delivered orders for old man NimhauSer. And at
II o'clock that night, he swept out the grocery
store, dragged the last sack OF prunes into cor
ner, and set the bread and roll box outside the
front door He got dollar
On Sunday, Frank took walk. A long walk.
He saw parks, and trees bigger than his house.
He knelt down and felt a Serubby patch OF grass
He picked blade and chewed 1t. 1t tasted good.
He made UP his mind 10 leave his neghbor-
hood as soon as he could
STARTING UP
II took a long time. He graduated from
P.s. lit, and ne worked Saturdays and Sundays
for druggist He read books and ne studied
hard. His mother and father said he was diff
ferent from the rest OF the brood. And they
weren't sure II that was good or bad
At sixteen he cult high school and took out
working papers. He became a shipping clerk At
elt week
He said goodby to his mother and father and
brothers and sisters. He packed his things and
they watched him reSentfully. He kissed his
mother and walked out. And his father took his
pipe from his mouth and yelled after him down
the hall.
Remember that you've made your own
choice" his father shouted. Don't ever come
back here, whinln' for another chance!"..,
He took So room 1t was almost as bad as
the old neighborhood but at least IT didn't Emeii.
He worked hard, Tn year he was running the
shipping department and getting ;275o. He
moved twice and was now on the West Side,
overlooking half acre park.
hut Frank was restless. Life was short. and
he had mountains TO move. So he never spared
himself. and he was merciless in his dealings
with others.
He went into big firm as office manager.
lie drew $50 In this job, and he moved into neat
little fiat. In some way. the family heard about
the new job-for one OF his brothers showed up
that week TO ask for position as office boy.
Frank was very abrupt. He said nobody had
eEsE~helped him. He said he didn't believe In
having relatives working for him. He watched
the youngster walk out and he hoped that would
teach the family to stay away from him.
II did. e.