The Foreman came out of the office with an armed guard carrying a cash box. They
set up a table and a chair, the foreman opened the cash box, took out a list and started
calling out names alphabetically. Each person came up, was handed five one dollar
bills and signed for them. He included the goof offs.
On the way home on the truck I said to my friend Gerry, “ I don’t think it was fair
for the boss to pay those goof offs the same as the rest of us.”
“ Did the boss tell you he’d pay you five dollars a day ?
“Yes he did.”
“Then your complaining about those others getting five dollars for only working half
as much as you/”
“Yes I am,” I said.
“ He’s the boss and has the right to run the farm anyway he wants to, doesn’t he?”
Putting his arm around my shoulders, That’s the way it is. The only real answer is a
parable in the gospel, Look it up.”
I didn’t really understand, but I was determined to look it up. I was also curious about
what happened to the tobacco we picked after it left the fields on the trucks heading for
those big sheds.
The girl, Mary, that spoke to me at lunch, worked in one of those sheds. She’s on the
truck with us and looks about my age. I’ll ask Gerry to introduce us tomorrow, I’ve
never seen her at school. She must go to a different school. Maybe the catholic school.
When I arrived home my mom asked, “How was your first day on the job?’
Cigar Wrappers – Prologue
I followed her around the kitchen for a hour telling her every detail. I remembered
what Mary had said at lunch. “ By the way that was a great lunch you put together.”
“ I’m glad you liked it. Now go take your shower and put those clothes in the
hamper you smell like a tobacco barn.”
“ Okay mom,” and ran upstairs.
At supper I toldmy father and younger sister all about again, hung around the living
room listening to the radio but started to get drowsy. I realized how tired I was after my
first day of work, so I went up to bed and didn’t know anything until my mom was
shakingme at five A.M.
“ Another day and another dollar, “ as my dad would say.
I met the other kids at the green and looked for Gerry. Whwn I didn’t see him Iasked.
Mary toldme , ‘sometimes his older brother, who drives him, oversleeps and he has to
walk and it takes him a little longer.” She had on a gray pair of slacks and a maroon
blouse with a sweater over her shoulders, just butoned at the top. I was a little shy talking
to her but I said, “thanks Mary.
I liked the way she said, “youre welcome Sean.
Sure enough Gerry came running and just ahead of the truck, too.
The usual routine with the driver, the horn and climbing the ladder onto the back of the
stack body truck. We stood up and watched the Towns roll by like yesterday and I saw
Mary and a couple of other girls standing close by. Gerry noticed it too and gave me a
knowing look but said nothing. I guess this job is going to have other benefits.
dooleytales 