The Rear Building
Millicent Santora
The noise of horses hoofs pounding the pavement outside Vicky's bedroom window awakened her from her deep sleep. Jumping out of bed like a jack rabbit ready to pounce and gobble some breakfast, she quickly dressed, grabbing the clothes that were put up on a chair the night before ready to help her in preparation for the move. All was ready the night before. Their furnishings and belongings were placed on the wagon while the neighbors kissed their good-byes with tears in their eyes, knowing the hardship they must endure in the coming days ahead.
Vicky grabbed a roll and placed it on a tray. She quickly put it down on the floor realizing her mother was anxious to leave as soon as dawn broke. She ran into the bedroom to awaken her sister, who seemed not to have a care about the moving. "Hurry you must get up. It's time to leave. Wake up, and dress. We're all ready and papa is outside with the wagon ready to go."
With that, Jennie got up and quickly dressed while her mother instructed Vicky to go out and see what her father wanted. "If he's ready for us, we'll leave as soon as he says so." Nervously she gathered what remained and called Jennie to hurry. "We're all ready but you," she told Jenny. "It's beginning to get light and we have a lot to do."
When Antonio lost his job she had decided she must try to get work to help him out. Sewing coats was not enough to pay the rent and the landlord did not have the patience to wait for the money. "I can't afford to keep you people for free; look for another place." All Antonio had was twenty dollars and he had to make it last until he could find work.
Disgusted, Angie walked down the steps in front of the building, not looking up in fear of eyes watching her leave. "Get me the wagon. Hurry, let's get started. It's getting light. We must leave, for the sky looks as if there will be rainfall, and you know what that means. All our belongings will get ruined and we will have nothing, not even our furniture and clothes. So let's put on a move."
Today was moving day. Last night, friends gathered to wish them well on their new adventure to find suitable lodgings. Their landlord refused to extend payment. Antonio could not find work. "You promise to pay. I gave you extensions but it seems you never pay on time." He insisted that they leave with no sympathy towards their plight. The horses were ready and the furniture already put on the wagon ready to move. Chairs, tables, and their iron beds with the feather mattresses and pillows neatly piled, with kitchenware and pots to start anew.
Angie insisted that they must eat something before they depart. A loaf of bread and cheese with a glass of milk was on the windowsill, ready to eat. Vicky gobbled it as fast as she was able to and hurried to put on her clothes. The rain was heavy and when they finally got into the wagon it was dusk.
Hoping they would be fortunate to find a place, they remained optimistic and hopeful. It was 1900 and gas lights was the means for lights. The street was dirty and smelled of rot from the odor of dampness. The lights gave an eerie look with no people about.
They circled the street looking for signs of for rent but the hours passed with no success. Jennie and Vicky hated the idea of moving and Angie was depressed knowing the dilemma they were in.
Vicky angrily gave her sister a shove. "Move over, I have no room. You're taking all the space." Their irritation began to surface and Angie scolded them both and told them to calm themselves.
Block by block they wove through the streets looking for signs. Dawn was now approaching yet nothing was in sight. The gas lights were dimming and the horses began to buck and winnow. Antonio pulled tightly on the reins, causing everyone inside to whip back and forth, almost falling off the wagon. Antonio considered stopping on the side of a back street, hoping they could get a few winks and then continue the search.
Angie realized when her husband lost his job this would happen. Her home work-sewing coats at home-was not enough to pay expenses. She remembered what the landlord had said. "I need the money. I can't afford to keep you people. Look for another place."
They only had eighteen dollars left. Antonio hid that fact from the landlord, or he would have demanded that, leaving them penniless. Disgusted with their plight, the four of them felt there was no hope and only prayers would see them through.
Angie scooped out some bread and cheese to appease their appetite. She broke it into chunks and shared it with all. She questioned Antonio about the horses. "Shouldn't you stop to give them a drink at the next fountain near the waterfront?"
Antonio gave her a sullen look and gazed at her angrily. The deep desperation showed in his eyes, finding the search almost futile. Angie quickly dropped the subject and their search continued. The children were beginning to show annoyance and began to question them. "What if we don't find a place by tonight? Where are we going to sleep?"
Antonio, now angry, dropped the reins and brought the wagon to a sharp halt. "Quit this talk, it's bad enough the situation we're in." He turned towards Angie. "See what you're doing? You're disturbing the children." Sensing her anguish, he leaned towards Angie and kissed her on the cheek.
This gesture of warmth stilled her and she brusquely grabbed both her children to her breast, kissing them both, attempting to quiet them and give them a feeling of confidence that all would be well. Angie knew now she could not express her terror out loud and must try to keep it to herself. She diverted her thoughts from her present reality and began to weave patterns and long forgotten scenes of her early childhood. The village in the old country where she was born. The purple mountains and blue skies
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