Make Up a Story
Stories from Around the World
“Work Wanted”
Who is that gentleman? His name could be Patriot John. He looks very serious, because he’s carrying the flag. Patriot John is a car mechanic, but he’s out of work and is looking for a job. He’s also thinking about all the things that need to be brought into the town, like development, and people, and more jobs, so people can live and work there.
Patriot John is holding a flag. He presenting it. He’s in a patriotic Flag Day parade in downtown New York on New Year’s Day in 1970. He’s the head of the parade. There are others in the parade and they are trying to do the same thing that Patriot John is doing: to get others to see that he has a flag and that he’s nice.
There’s a bland playing patriotic music like <singing to the tune of “Stars and Stripes Forever”) “da da da-da-da da-da-da...” There are the sounds of motor cars. And Patriot John is trying to create another song so people will know what he is doing. He’s all by himself with his hand on his hip and he sings to get people’s attention. He wants people to recognize him as a patriot.
Everyone is smoking, so it smells like smoke. You can also smell different foods that people are selling. And popcorn. And the smell of motor cars.
Patriot John looks like the type that has a family. He has four children and a wife named Marjorie. His family is in the crowd and they feel proud because he’s there, it’s a beautiful day, and he’s using the flag.
Patriot John feels like he wants to be recognized, but he also feels exhausted, because he’s been standing there for 2 hours! He wants to tell his family, “Let’s go home!” They live in Arcadia, so they will take the train back. It will take them 12-16 hours by train.
When they get home, they’ll get cleaned up and then they’ll want to rest and eat.
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