• Monday morning again. John kisses my forehead and is off to work, while I’m left behind to prepare the boys for school. Then I woke up and realized I was only dreaming.
    When we got the news that John would be leaving for war I felt like I was hit by a train. I didn’t know how I’d take care of the two boys all alone. At the time Elliot was 11 years old and Peter was 8. Elliot and I got jobs, and found a way to make ends meet. Later that year a man walked up to our door and told us that John had died saving a fallen ally. That John! Always too nice for his own good. That week we packed up and moved to Chicago.
    The boys grew older. Elliot was 17 and Peter was 14 Elliot worked at a meat factory, while I stayed home. Peter skipped around from job to job. Never stuck with anything. So mostly he helped around the house.
    It was early June when Elliot came home from work and handed me five dollars. He said to go out and get something nice. So I slipped into a nice skirt, fixed my hair and left. I knew that he was planning something, and that when I returned he’d have the whole apartment decorated in order to wish me a happy birthday.
    Seems everyone now needs clothes and furniture and appliances because the little shops are always filled with greedy animals trying to purchase the latest fashions and the fanciest gadgets. But I kept walking. I didn’t plan on getting caught in that chaos. After a while I came to a little forgotten store on a little forgotten street. Inside were orderly displays of appliances.
    In the center of the store, I saw a neatly stacked pyramid of vacuums in their colorful boxes. As I strolled over, I felt the heat of someone’s eyes burrowing into my back. And sure enough, a salesman hurried up right next to me in three seconds flat.
    “I see you were lookin at that vacuum there.”
    “Oh, well I was jus-”
    “Say no more! I know what you’re thinking. You’re picturing yourself at home, the carpet is a mess, and your husband will be home any minute!” The man then sort of stared off at the wall, as if he could actually see all of this happening “And then this here vacuum magically appears, and you have the carpet spick and span in no time!”
    “Oh, yes,” I said, “I suppose that does sound nice” Though I wasn’t thinking that at all. I know that if John were there he’d tell me what a fool this man was and then he’d take me by the hand, and lead me to the park, and we’d sit by the lake as our troubles blow away in the breeze.
    “Why it does sound nice indeed! So, what do you say? Are you interested in taking home a shiny new vacuum?”
    “Well, yes, but I um…am broke! Yes, that’s it. I have no money you see. I was just looking that’s all.” And so I gave him the sweetest smile, knowing that he couldn’t argue with that. Well, those salesmen are conniving little twits and will find a way out of any predicament.
    So he threw back the same smile knowing he had another trick up his sleeve and responded with “That’s no problem my dear! Nowadays you can buy now and pay later! It’s a handy little system. So stop worrying your pretty little head!” If John were there he would’ve punched that salesman and told him what a repulsive creature he was. But he wasn’t there so I quickly rid my mind of that thought.
    “Oh, please excuse me miss, I must speak with another customer.” And thus he turned away to steal money from some other woman. Then I got to thinking. Buy now and pay later. Well, buying without paying is simply taking. So I picked up a boxed vacuum and walked right out of the store.
    No one ever made me pay for it later. I guess that system doesn’t really work like it should. That store eventually went out of business. Probably because people kept taking things, and the salesmen forgot to collect the money.
    Peter and Elliot did a fine job with the decorations. Candles illuminated the paper signs and the sweet fragrance of chocolate cake wafted around us. We had a nice time talking and dancing to songs on the radio. Before the night ended, Elliot brought out a navy blue velvet box and wished me a happy birthday. It was the most beautiful bracelet I’d ever seen. Thin strands of silver intertwined into an intricate pattern.
    Dorothy, who lived in the apartment below ours, bragged that her husband had gotten her the same bracelet and she‘d show it off to anyone who‘d stand around long enough to hear about it, but after a week her wrist turned green and she never wore it again. I never took mine off.
    Later that year I voted. I’d thought about this for a long time. I had never kept track of the candidates in past elections, because I didn’t see the point if I couldn’t vote anyway. But this year, I watched them with scrutinizing eyes. At first I didn’t know how I’d ever choose between Coolidge and Davis, but in the end I decided to vote for Coolidge. Things turned out all right.
    A year or so passed and I promised to take Elliot out for his first drink. I fixed Peter some chicken for supper and told him I loved him and that we’d be back soon. Afterwards Elliot and I linked arms and walked together through the streets.
    The night is a black with only the stars to guide us but we still found our way. We scurried down a dreary little alley, soaked in rain. We veered to the left and stood in the doorway. With our backs pressed against the door, I knocked three times. Elliot kept watch. The slot in the door flit open, revealing two very wide eyes. “what’s your business?” A husky voice snapped in a hushed tone.
    “Joe sent us” I replied quietly.
    “Yeah? And what did he tell you?” the voice retorted.
    “He says don’t get caught.”
    The slot closed back up and we heard someone banging around on the door. Then it slowly slid open admitting us into the speakeasy. The air was thick with smoke, and chatter. Elliot pulled me over to a vacant table, then went to get drinks from the bar. We talked and drank for a while, though we didn’t drink much. I’ve never really had much of a taste for alcohol, the adrenaline was addicting enough.
    It was real late when someone came running in screaming “The cops! The cops!” and then the whole place became a complete disarray of screaming people running around crazy. A panicked expression had consumed Elliot, so we got up and ran for the back door all the while trying not to lose each other. After the crowd spit us up in another bleak alley we found ourselves traipsing all over town talking and laughing, not wanting the fun to end.
    When we did finally get home, Peter was already asleep so Elliot and I sat on the sofa to listen to the late night shows on the radio.