slightly.
Molly brushed away a tear and turned to look at him.
“You gotta stop goin’ to the beauty shop and I want you to fire Stella. We don’t need that Polack to clean and iron here every week.”
“Oh Ben,” she wailed, “it’s only a few dollars. “And how ‘bout you? Maybe you should stop with the cards and booze. Look at you, you’re drunk and where have you been till all hours of the night?”
Downing his drink, he got up a in a huff, and poured another.
“At least I can eat something decent at the restaurant. Who wants to come home for dinner when all you do is complain?”
“For cryin out loud,” she said, wrapping her arms around her large belly, “whadda ya’ expect me to do? I’m barely able to put food on the table with the few lousy bucks you give me each week and you didn’t leave me the five dollars you promised this morning.”
“Take it easy, you know I’m bustin’ my behind trying to work things out. But Mike O’Hara’s goons were in last week lookin’ for money I owed ‘em. One of ‘em smacked me around a little while the other one emptied the cash register and told me he was comin’ back this week for more.”
“Oh Benny,” she cried, “how could you get involved with those guys?.”
Ben gritted his teeth as she sobbed and held her hands over her eyes. Turning, she retreated into the kitchen.
“Don’t run away from me,” he yelled with his fists clenched, leaning on the dining room table. “So what if I have a drink once in awhile? You act like I’m a drunk and gamble our money away. You got no right to get mad. I’ve been workin’ like a dog. Just because things are tight and you can’t go to the beauty parlor or shop for clothes all day, you make it sound like all I do is drink and gamble.”
In the kitchen, she stood slumped over the table, her large stomach dragging her down as she held her head in her hands and wailed. Picking up his jacket, Ben ran out, slamming the door.
They didn’t talk till four days later when he rushed her to Mount Sinai to have the baby. On the way home from the hospital with their new baby, he rubbed the back of his hand over his nose and nervously shifted around as he drove. Clearing his throat he spoke up. “I don’t know how to tell you, Molly, but we’re just about outta money. I owe everybody—all my suppliers, the employees and the landlord at the restaurant.” Molly listened quietly, rocking and fussing with Shirley.
“Besides them, we owe on the electric and gas and the rent is three months overdue at the apartment.”
The soft rumble of the car and street noises seemed loud as he hesitated before continuing. “I’ve borrowed on my life insurance and owe my younger brother a hundred bucks.”
Molly drew her lips in tightly trying to stifle a shudder as she cuddled Shirley. “My God Ben, a hundred bucks! That’s over two month’s rent! How could you?” She nestled Shirley in the crook of her arm and looked up. Maybe we should move in with my folks back on the west side. I can ask ‘em.”
“No, I don’t wanna do that,” he sighed, shaking his head. “Business picks up as soon as the summer is over and the government has got to do something. If not, Hoover and the Republicans are gonna lose big in 1932.”
“Benny,” she whimpered quietly, rocking back and forth with the baby. “Are you sure it’s the business or is it booze and gambling?”
“Aw c’mon, do we have to start on that again? You know I’m careful.”
She didn’t respond. Nor did she look at him. Tucking in her lower lip, she stifled a sob.
“Ben,” she said looking straight ahead. “I’ve heard that before and I’m sick of seeing you come home smelling of booze and looking like hell. I know you work hard, but that’s no excuse.”
“Look, I’m killing myself for you and the girls,” he said raising his voice. “It’s not easy makin’ enough these days; so what if I have drink, or place a bet once in
Molly brushed away a tear and turned to look at him.
“You gotta stop goin’ to the beauty shop and I want you to fire Stella. We don’t need that Polack to clean and iron here every week.”
“Oh Ben,” she wailed, “it’s only a few dollars. “And how ‘bout you? Maybe you should stop with the cards and booze. Look at you, you’re drunk and where have you been till all hours of the night?”
Downing his drink, he got up a in a huff, and poured another.
“At least I can eat something decent at the restaurant. Who wants to come home for dinner when all you do is complain?”
“For cryin out loud,” she said, wrapping her arms around her large belly, “whadda ya’ expect me to do? I’m barely able to put food on the table with the few lousy bucks you give me each week and you didn’t leave me the five dollars you promised this morning.”
“Take it easy, you know I’m bustin’ my behind trying to work things out. But Mike O’Hara’s goons were in last week lookin’ for money I owed ‘em. One of ‘em smacked me around a little while the other one emptied the cash register and told me he was comin’ back this week for more.”
“Oh Benny,” she cried, “how could you get involved with those guys?.”
Ben gritted his teeth as she sobbed and held her hands over her eyes. Turning, she retreated into the kitchen.
“Don’t run away from me,” he yelled with his fists clenched, leaning on the dining room table. “So what if I have a drink once in awhile? You act like I’m a drunk and gamble our money away. You got no right to get mad. I’ve been workin’ like a dog. Just because things are tight and you can’t go to the beauty parlor or shop for clothes all day, you make it sound like all I do is drink and gamble.”
In the kitchen, she stood slumped over the table, her large stomach dragging her down as she held her head in her hands and wailed. Picking up his jacket, Ben ran out, slamming the door.
They didn’t talk till four days later when he rushed her to Mount Sinai to have the baby. On the way home from the hospital with their new baby, he rubbed the back of his hand over his nose and nervously shifted around as he drove. Clearing his throat he spoke up. “I don’t know how to tell you, Molly, but we’re just about outta money. I owe everybody—all my suppliers, the employees and the landlord at the restaurant.” Molly listened quietly, rocking and fussing with Shirley.
“Besides them, we owe on the electric and gas and the rent is three months overdue at the apartment.”
The soft rumble of the car and street noises seemed loud as he hesitated before continuing. “I’ve borrowed on my life insurance and owe my younger brother a hundred bucks.”
Molly drew her lips in tightly trying to stifle a shudder as she cuddled Shirley. “My God Ben, a hundred bucks! That’s over two month’s rent! How could you?” She nestled Shirley in the crook of her arm and looked up. Maybe we should move in with my folks back on the west side. I can ask ‘em.”
“No, I don’t wanna do that,” he sighed, shaking his head. “Business picks up as soon as the summer is over and the government has got to do something. If not, Hoover and the Republicans are gonna lose big in 1932.”
“Benny,” she whimpered quietly, rocking back and forth with the baby. “Are you sure it’s the business or is it booze and gambling?”
“Aw c’mon, do we have to start on that again? You know I’m careful.”
She didn’t respond. Nor did she look at him. Tucking in her lower lip, she stifled a sob.
“Ben,” she said looking straight ahead. “I’ve heard that before and I’m sick of seeing you come home smelling of booze and looking like hell. I know you work hard, but that’s no excuse.”
“Look, I’m killing myself for you and the girls,” he said raising his voice. “It’s not easy makin’ enough these days; so what if I have drink, or place a bet once in
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