The Girl in the Torch by Robert Sharenow Page B

handful of sesame seeds on top.
    Mrs. Lee handed Sarah a brass bell from a low shelf.
    â€œGo to stairs and ring this,” she said. “Then watch out.”
    â€œWatch out?”
    â€œYou’ll see.”
    Sarah stood at the bottom of the stairs and rang the bell. Instantly, doors opened up and down the hall and multiple sets of feet stomped down the stairs. Two dozen Chinese people of all ages quickly brushed past Sarah and moved to the dining table. There were two families with young children, nearly a dozen men of varying ages, and a group of four young women. They all sat themselves around the table.
    A stout Chinese woman in a green dress came down the stairs with her daughter, who looked to be about Sarah’s age. The girl was small and thin, with long, beautiful, shiny black hair that shewore pulled back and tied with a blue ribbon.
    The woman regarded Sarah suspiciously. “Who are you?”
    â€œSarah.”
    â€œYou a new boarder?”
    Sarah wasn’t sure what the word boarder meant.
    â€œI work in the kitchen.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œWith Mrs. Lee. I help clean and cook.”
    The woman’s face darkened. “I will not stand for this!” she said.

Mrs. Fat
    â€œY OU SHOULD NOT BE HERE !” the woman continued. “This is an outrage.”
    â€œMama, calm down,” the Chinese girl interjected.
    â€œNo. I won’t calm down,” the woman said, her face turning even redder with agitation. “Mrs. Lee, I demand to see you right now! Mrs. Lee!”
    â€œWhat’s all this noise?” Mrs. Lee said, emerging from the kitchen while wiping her hands on her apron. “I run rooming house, not beer hall.”
    â€œWhy did you hire this girl to work in the kitchen when you promised you’d give work to my Bao Yu if there was any?”
    The woman nodded to her daughter and then angrily crossed her arms. Both Sarah and the girl shifted uncomfortably.
    â€œMrs. Fat, I never promise job to nobody,” Mrs. Lee said. “This is Maryk’s niece.”
    â€œMaryk has a niece?”
    â€œYes. And she a good worker.”
    â€œMy Bao Yu is a good worker too,” Mrs. Fat said.
    â€œWell, when you own building, you can hire who you want. I own building, I hire who I say. Now go, eat. Sarah, you come serve.”
    Mrs. Fat huffed, and she and her daughter moved into the other room.
    Sarah followed Mrs. Lee down the hall, feeling even more self-conscious than before. Between Miss Jean’s sister and Mrs. Fat’s daughter, there seemed to be a small army of people who wanted the job that Sarah had taken.
    Sarah was almost back to the kitchen when Maryk stepped into her path, coming up the basement stairs. They nearly collided, and navigated around each other awkwardly.
    â€œExcuse me,” she said.
    â€œHmph,” he grunted as he passed.
    Maryk walked into the front room and took the lone empty seat at the end of the table. He was dressed for work in his brown uniform, his hair carefully combed. Despite his neat appearance, Sarah detected a slight unsteadiness in his walk and a whiff of whiskey on his breath.
    Mrs. Lee emerged from the kitchen carrying the bowl filled with the steaming chicken-and-vegetable dish.
    â€œYou get rice,” she said to Sarah. “Before it turn cold.”
    Sarah retrieved the rice bowl and joined Mrs. Lee, circling the table behind her and spooning clumps of rice onto each plate. Mrs. Fat eyed Sarah suspiciously from her seat beside her daughter.
    Sarah tried to catch Maryk’s attention as she made her way around the room, to give him a small smile of thanks and to show him how well she had integrated herself into the work life of the house already. She was hoping for a sign of their alliance or friendship, particularly since she had just made at least one enemy in Mrs. Fat. Yet Maryk seemed uncomfortable as she scooped the rice onto his