Make Up a Story
Stories from Around the World
The People in the Street
This is in the street, and the man is cleaning up the shoes.
Just yesterday, we were talking about getting shoes polished, and someone in the group said,
“They don’t do that anymore.”
I have shoes that require shining, and as it happened, I was at the Grove several months ago. There was a man shining shoes there, and he made my shoes look like new.
In my town, I never saw someone clean shoes for someone else. We cleaned them up ourselves.
I remember seeing them in train stations, where you buy travel tickets.
Jack is on the left, and Joe on the right.
It hurts me, because the man chewing on the cigarette—or whatever you call that—is like my husband, who died 25 years ago, and it brings back memories.
The man who is getting shoes shined is walking in nice, clean shoes.
He’s a doctor or working in a special place, like a bank, because he’s all dressed up.
He works in an office. With a pipe.
He’s leisurely smoking his pipe.
Nelson is the one working, the other one is George.
They’re in a theatre.
They’re in Budapest, sightseeing.
The man is waiting patiently to get his shoes shined so he can on to the next event.
They’re going to see a movie.
He’s ready to go into battle, because he’s sitting clutched like that, with a big cigarette in his mouth.
He doesn’t have much hair on his head.
They don’t know each other.
They’re looking at each other and talking to each other.
George is very bored and serious, not smiling.
Not friendly.
He needs to go somewhere. That’s why he’s serious.
The man shining shoes is trying to make him softer, easier. He’s looking at him nicely, friendly.
He’s trying to make a living, even though it’s not such nice work and not a lot of money.
The one who’s sitting says, “I’ll take you to a wonderful place where you can enjoy yourself.”
He’s explaining to him that he should be looking his best for the next event.
He’s saying, “Your shoes are dirty!”
The other man said thank you and gave him money.
The man cleaning shoes is waiting for his next patient.
Waiting for the next customer; he wants to get on with it.
You can see the poor man and the rich man.
The rich man needs to go somewhere. The poor man needs work.
There will be a new job cleaning shoes.
It’s cold.
It’s in New York, because in LA, I’ve never seen someone clean up the shoes.
The picture reminds me of my old country in Budapest.
Created at the Freda Mohr Senior Center
Jewish Family Service Los Angeles
January 30, 2015
Share This:
