Homelessness+in+the+Depression

Homelessness in the Depression
A story by Joanna and Zahraa 6CC with minor editing by Miss Hill

The scorching sun was shining brightly on our corrugated iron roof. Shanty Town is suffering hardship and to make matters worse, we are running out of food supplies. The question on your lips, I’m guessing, is “Why are these people out on the streets and roads dying of starvation?” Well the answer is simply because of payments and bills not getting paid off, so unfortunately eviction was the only option.

Last Night, mother and I snuck half a pumpkin secretly, from the vegetable patch. This, we are using to make Mother’s Pumpkin Stew. We have saved enough for two days. We will each get the maximum of 3 teaspoons each but I’m starting to wonder how we are going to survive. Mother is suffering more than anybody in our family, being pregnant and expecting a baby in 3-4 months. Father has made her a stool to help her with most things. In fact, Father has hand built most of our things since the depression began.

What am I doing? Washing and drying dirty clothes, then folding them again. Although there is barely enough water to wash the clothes with but Mother insists on doing it.

Medicines are scarce and since summer had begun, my family and I are usually dehydrated- my brother nearly fainted.

Father and Brother have gone hunting. I am hoping that they capture a juicy rabbit, good enough to add to our stew.

Everybody is thinking negatively - even Father who usually thinks positively. Every dinner time, to keep our spirits high, he tells us that someday soon, our life will be better. Brother disagrees and says he thinks the house will collapse.

The vegetable patch and the creek, our only hopes, are drying up.

Brother and I are sharing a rotten potato sack for sleeping. Mother hopes that at Christmas, we would have enough money to purchase new sacks for each.

The flies are about. The ground underneath my feet is dry and rocky. Mother is calling to help her with the tiding up. I have to go now…….

Picture to be added.