It was a chilly and hectic morning in New York City.As I looked out the window, it was like looking straight into death’s face. There were bodies laying under murky carton house along the block. The wailing of mothers were heard over their crying babies in desperation.What once was a peaceful place had been swept along with the wind. A decade ago we had the ideal American life,perfect and entertaining. My father and mother worked while Robert, James, John, and I attended our nearby school. Aunt Helen whose late husband had just died was staying with us while she recovered.Aunt Helen was also the one who cared over Alice my 5-year-old sister who was ill with asthma. Money was tight due to all the medications needed for Helen. To help my parents I had an afterschool jobs down at the diner.While working hard and saving some money on the side, I finally bought my parents our very first radio. During the 1920’s my life was a dream come true, until 1930’s rolled along and tore it all down.

At first no one knew what was really going on,but perceived that financially we were doomed. One particular afternoon as I was walking up the 5th floor to our apartment,I sensed as of something wasn’t right.I found my father sitting with his face in his hand crying,I sat next to him without saying a word. Then I proceeded “What’s wrong?” I asked, “I lost my job” he mumbled.He then continued to tell me that the stock market had crashed and that banks weren’t letting people take money out. We sat there in utter silence for a good 5 minutes,then I started dinner.As evening came,mother came home and everyone sat around the table.There was a stillness in the atmosphere,as my father announced he had lost his job.Seeing his face my heart ached,mother assured him everything was going to be alright.The following morning I found my parents sitting around the coffee table,figuring outhow save money as much as possible.Drastic measures were about to take place,all luxuries were going to be put aside.

The following weeks to come were tough on our family.My father went out every morning from dawn till dusk looking for a job.Although I had stopped going to school,my brothers were still attending.Leaving school was a personal choice to help my family,I worked all day at the diner. The pay wasn’t great but it helped out, the diner was getting emptier each day.E verything seem to be going wrong. Aunt Helen had come down with the flu, and Alice’s asthma had gotten worse. To my disgrace as I was closing the diner, Dalia my boss called me in her office. With sorrow,she told me she had to let me go because she no longer had savings to keep the diner. As I got home I found out mother had lost her job, and we had no money for food. Together we walked 3 blocks for dinner at a local soup & bread line. Walking home from the diner we talked about having the boys quit school to work. Everyone was going to have to try harder.

Everything went from bad to worse,and economically we were miserable.In a period of days we were on the street and living in hoovervilles.We no longer had money for rent,let alone for Alice’s medicine.There were no jobs available,my father and brothers became hoboes.While my mother and I took care of Aunt Helen. She was weak and very sick and there was no money for her medication.One evening as we were settling down for the night we heard Robert screaming,we rushed to where he was standing and see Aunt Helen pale and cold on the floor. That night she passed away,my father was affected the most. After her death my father felt like a failure and guilty,because he couldn’t provide and save our family. He fell into depression and committed suicide from jumping from a 30ft apartment building.Our lives were changed forever,we no longer depended on father for provision. I just knew he had taken a big part of my life.

Unlike the 1920’s the 1930’s brought a series of destructive events.Together everyone helped each other out.There were days when mother made meals and we shared them with nearby neighbors.Unemployment rates were still high and families were headed toward California. Alice’s asthma had gotten better,one of the families were bonding with had a son who had passed away. He had asthmas and they had bought medicine in advance,but that wasn’t going to last forever. We decide to take a risk and travel to California, we had heard they had migrant camps which government had built there.This was a part of the New Deal  which was bringing relief to millions of Americans. Along with other families we head to a brighter future,where we could diminish this pain my father left. A future where we could rest our bodies from all the tiredness we are feeling. We weren’t going to let our dark past, ruin what was yet to come.