F Block American Literature

Sarah Zhang

F-Block

Moran English

Always Work Hard

“at the working man’s house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.”

         The shrill beep of the alarm clock heralded the serene blue light of dawn. Melissa Cooper slowly drew her limbs out into the cold wintry air as she forced her heavy eyelids to open. Blindly, she groped for the off button of the clock, knocking a glass of water off her nightstand in the process.

         Sighing, she hurriedly threw on a worn but respectable skirt as well as a thick, gray sweater. Crossing to the spill, she bent over with some towels to clean up the mess but winced as her neck and back twinged suddenly. Melissa rubbed the sore spots absentmindedly as she wiped up the water and tossed the wet towels into the trash.

She quickly glided over to the small bathroom, pausing to comb her hair and brush her teeth before she left. With the same air of calm urgency, she crossed into her daughters’ room.

Both were soundly asleep as it was four in the morning. Melissa quietly drew the rumpled covers back over their bare arms and legs before giving them both a quick kiss on the forehead.

She checked her watch. 4:15. Running now, she stopped in the kitchen to grab an apple. Melissa paused and opened the refrigerator, letting out a blast of frosty air as she peeked into the illuminated interior. It was nearly empty with just a slab of cheese on the top shelf and half a carton of milk. She bit her lip in frustration; she would have to go grocery-shopping on top of having to pay the electric bills.

She checked her watch one more time. 4:20, the silver numbers gleamed. Melissa ran out, locking the door behind her before starting her battered blue Ford. Its engine growled loudly, breaking the peaceful silence that had covered the neighborhood. Melissa rubbed her burning eyes before backing out of the driveway and driving to her workplace.

“Hi, good morning Jeff.”

“Nice to see you Melissa. I see that you’re early as usual. Remember to finish the project today, we need to get it in by 12 AM tonight.”

“On it.” Melissa’s heels clicked softly against the rough gray rug of the office. The rich aromas of coffee and cream made her belly pinch with hunger as a few tired workers attempted to caffeinate themselves. Sweeping her dark hair off her shoulders, Melissa settled down into the swivel chair situated in front of a dark computer screen. She turned it on.

The screen glowed a light blue as it loaded. Melissa shut her eyes for a few moments, trying to snatch a few more precious minutes of rest before the endless line of numbers would dance across the computer screen. Melissa thought of the breakfasts that other people would be having; toast covered with  warm golden butter, fresh yogurt, colorful cereals...Stop! Don’t think about food!

She looked at the pictures of her two daughters Eileen and Elaine taped to the gray cubicle walls. Their jack ‘o’ lantern smiles lit up their thin, bony faces as they looked at something to the right of the camera. Though they smiled, Melissa could see the constant strain of hunger etched in their pale skin as well as the in thinness of their bodies. I'll work as hard as I can to keep them from starving!

Melissa looked back at the computer screen and saw the familiar green background with various documents scattered across it. Hunching her shoulders, she opened one of the documents and immediately, her eyes felt seared by the stark white page of the document as well as the tiny black numbers and lines that covered it. I’m doing this for my children! Melissa thought fiercely. Melissa began to type numbers into the document, her tired fingers slowly dancing over the sticky keys of the keyboard.

All around her, she could hear the clicks of other people typing as they all began their various duties.

Melissa blinked and came out of her trance as she heard the thumps of chairs being pushed back and the tired calls of farewell.

“Bye Melissa. Aren’t you going home yet?”

“ No Jenny, I have to put in some overtime hours.”

“Don’t stay too late and say hi to the girls for me.”

All of her coworkers had disappeared so that the office was disconcertingly quiet and dark. Melissa picked up her work phone and dialed home.

“Hi, is this Elaine? Oh Eileen? Yeah, I’m going to be late tonight, just finish off the food in the fridge. Don’t wait for me. Yeah, I love you too honey. Bye!”

She checked the tiny numbers at the bottom right corner of her screen. 9 ‘o’ clock. She still needed to work four more hours. Melissa fell into a hypnotic work stupor once more as she calculated the endless rows of numbers before her.

By one AM, Melissa’s eyes refused to stay open and her stomach was growling with hunger as she hadn’t had lunch or dinner. She hated taking time off for eating and she disliked spending money on the cup of Ramen noodles she would have eaten for lunch. Yawning, she closed her computer and stretched her swollen fingers and aching neck.

She almost dozed off while driving, the blurry streak of her headlights nearly soothing her to sleep. Melissa arrived back at her home, then quietly entered the dark house.

Suddenly, she remembered, she hadn’t remembered to go grocery shopping. Pulling out her checkbook, Melissa anxiously checked the numbers as well as mentally calculating the cost of her mortgage and electric and heating bills.

There wouldn’t be enough left over to buy a week’s worth of food.

She was too tired, she couldn’t do this. Stumbling to her room, she collapsed on the bed without undressing. Thankfully, it was Saturday so that she wouldn’t need to get up as early.

The pattering of feet in the hallway woke her and Melissa saw Elaine and Eileen staring at her eagerly.

“Mom, is there any more food? We’re hungry!” they chorused at the same time. It was one of their well-rehearsed lines as they said every night and every morning.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t get anything last night. I’ll drop you off at Anne’s house, her mom will give you some food. Go get dressed.”

With light steps, the two girls went into their room. Melissa got up and dressed as well. Walking into the girls’ tiny room, she quickly ran a brush through their dull brown hair, the strands limp with malnutrition.

Anne’s house was a cheerful yellow and from it floated the most wonderful scent of pancake batter. As she had countless times, Melissa thanked her lucky stars she had met Anne’s mom, the angel who was always willing to feed Elaine and Eileen.

“Elaine, Eileen, call me when you’re done, OK? I’ll come and pick you up. Don’t bother Anne’s mom and be polite and helpful if she needs you.”

“Yes Mom.”

Melissa smiled fondly at them and then she drove off back home. Sighing, she took out all the paperwork about bills and other nonsense from a folder.

As Melissa brought the piles of paper to the kitchen table, the phone rang shrilly. Frowning, Melissa set down the papers and picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

“Melissa?

“Oh hi Jeff, I did turn in the project on time.”

“Yes I know, I want you to know that I’m going to promote you since your hard work has been so excellent.”

Melissa was silent for a moment as she processed the information.

“Wait, you want to promote me?” she nearly whispered

“Yes, I do.” Jeff’s voice crackled on the phone.

“Thank you, thank you!” Melissa barely heard Jeff respond before hanging up. Melissa stared at her bills again, then at the refridgerator. She could imagine the frozen interior heavy with eatables for the first time.

Smiling ecstatically, Melissa picked up the phone and dialed the number for Anne’s house.