Page 5 - Contrast19731974

"Thanks."
"Yeah. See you Monday."
"Yeah," thought Tommy. He had hid the bottle
on his shelf, surveyed his home quiekly, slipped
out of his clothes and dropped into a cold cot.
He slept.

ItI'll go into town today," TOIltJltlhyought.
He sat up in his bed, then put two pairs of
socks on, his pants and shirt. Gathering all his
remaining clothes, he dropped them in a cloth bag,
along with a bar of soap and laundry detergent. He

heated nr some water far coffee and heated a can of

baked beans.

TOI111laltYe and drank slowly. His food was now
all gone. Relaxing in front of the dwindling fire,
he suddenly picked himself up, grabbed his bag and
strode out into the cold wind.

It was five miles into town. TOJllJllYm'isnd
began to wander as he trudged through the hard,
cutting snow. This week he could get by on just
some food, but next week he'd absolutely have to
buy firewood, pay his debt, and get more food. And
he knew quite well he would get a few more reds next
week. Jason James, the ragged Indian who had
stopped at his place last night, would certainly
get another hundred. James almost always came up
with a bottle somehow, because he was definitely
addicted.. Tommy played it smart. He had used reds
for a long time, but wasn't severely addicted.

Tommy trudged on. He thought of his mother and
sister. His mother had struggled hard keeping their
home in order, raising two children in poverty and
working whatever occasional job she could find.
His father, like many another, had been drinking
more and working less through the years. He beat
his wife. One day the old man smacked his wife
real good, and more 1n her than just her face split
open. The next night she fled with her daughter.
Tommy wouldn't go. He had a feeling that the city
would crush their spirit even mare. At least here
YOU were alone.