Heads You Win

“I don’t,” said Elena firmly, placing her hands on her hips. “Earn now, and only buy when you can afford it.”

“Then we’ll have to try the Goodwill shop on Hudson. Maybe they’ll be willing to give you something for nothing.”

“Charity is for those in real need, not for those capable of doing a day’s work,” said Elena, reverting to her native tongue.

“I don’t think you’ll have much chance of being offered a job even in a pizza parlor if you look like a Russian refugee who’s just got off the boat,” said Dimitri.

Alex nodded his agreement.

Elena was finally silenced.

Dimitri took a five-dollar note out of his pocket and handed it to Elena.

“Thank you,” said Elena, reluctantly accepting it. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I get a job.”

“The Goodwill store opens at nine,” said Dimitri. “We must be waiting outside at one minute to.”

“Why so early?” asked Alex, determined only to speak English.

“A lot of people clear out their wardrobes at the weekend, so the best deals are always on a Monday morning.”

“Then let’s get going,” said Alex, who couldn’t wait to be back on the street. He wanted to see if the boy was still standing on the corner selling newspapers, because he hoped his mother would also allow him to look for a job, perhaps even as a trader on one of the stalls.

“And then we must look for a good school that will take Alex,” said Elena, dashing her son’s hopes.

“But I want to start working,” pleaded Alex, “so we can both earn some money.”

“If you hope to end up with a worthwhile position, and eventually earn a proper salary,” said Elena, “you’ll have to go back to school and make sure you’re offered a place at university.”

Alex couldn’t hide his disappointment, but he knew this was the one thing his mother wouldn’t compromise on.

“Then you’ll have to make an appointment with the education officer at City Hall,” said Dimitri. “But not before you both get some new clothes and Elena’s landed that job in the pizza parlor, so we’d better get going.”

Once they were back on the street, Alex tried to take in everything that was going on around him. He wondered how long it would be before, like Dimitri, he too melted into the background.

One of the first things Alex noticed was that not all of the men were wearing a suit and hat, while many of the women were dressed in brightly colored clothes, some of them in dresses that didn’t even cover their knees. The paper boy was standing on the same street corner, shouting a different headline.

“Bobby Kennedy assassinated!”

Alex wondered if Bobby Kennedy was related to the former president, whom he knew had also been assassinated. If he’d had a dime, he would have bought a paper. Once they were back at the market, Elena would have liked to stop and inspect the freshly baked bread, the oranges, apples, and so many other vegetables, and ask about those she was unfamiliar with. What did an avocado taste like, she wondered, and could you eat the skin?

Alex couldn’t resist stopping every few moments to stare into the windows of shops that offered watches, radios, televisions, and gramophone records. He kept being distracted, and then having to run to catch up with Dimitri and Elena.

They finally arrived outside the Goodwill store on Hudson, just as a young woman was turning the CLOSED sign around to read OPEN. Dimitri led them inside, still very much in charge.

Elena spent her time rifling through the shelves and clothes racks before she selected a white shirt and a dark blue tie for Alex. She then turned her attention to a row of suits hanging on a long rail, while Dimitri chatted to the shop assistant. Alex was disappointed when his mother picked out a plain gray suit, which she held up against him to check the size. It was a little large, but she knew it wouldn’t be too long before he grew into it. She told him to try it on.

When Alex came out of the changing room, dressed in his new suit, he couldn’t help noticing that the girl behind the counter was taking a closer look at him. He turned away, embarrassed. Elena pretended not to notice as she began to pick out some clothes for herself: a simple blue dress and a pleated black skirt. She was beginning to worry that her money must be running out, when she spotted a pair of black leather shoes that would go perfectly with Alex’s new suit.

“A man dropped them in on Saturday afternoon,” said the girl. “He told me no one wears shoes with laces any longer.”

“Perfect,” said Elena once Alex had tried them on and walked around the shop a couple of times.

“How much?” Elena asked, gathering up all the goods and placing them on the counter.

“Five dollars,” said the girl.

Elena handed over the money, stood back, and admired her son, no longer a child. She didn’t notice Dimitri hand the girl another ten dollars, give Alex a wink, and say, “Thank you, Miss Marshall,” as the girl handed him a bag full of their old clothes.

“I hope you’ll come back soon,” said Addie. “We get new stuff in every day.”