Abstract:
During the “Great Depression” Joey’s father commits his mother to a mental institution, divorces her and virtually abandons Joey, age 12, Jimmy, age 8 and Johnny, 9 months old, to live alone in the downstairs two rooms of their grandmother’s house. Grandmother is a recluse who does not speak nor understand English. Joey is forced to act as father and mother to his brothers. He must also find ways to provide food, clothing and at the same time see that his brother Jimmy goes to school and Johnny is provided for while he is in school himself. He must also see to it that his brothers have some semblance of a normal home life.