1929, NY
"Look for someone respectable, sweet pea, show them this note, they'll help you.." Suddenly papa was dragged away by police officers.
"Mel, you were warned, buddy, this is it you've got to get in the car"
"Take my daughter somewhere safe, please! Get her off the streets!"
"That's not our problem Mel, you knew we were looking for you, the blame is only on you,"
As quickly as they came they were gone with papa in handcuffs in the back of the car. Looking to the note he had pinned to my dress it read 'Hello, my name is Mary & I'm lost'
8 years old and nowhere to go, my name is Mary and I'm lost. My mother died at birth and ever since I've lived on the streets with papa and now it seems I live on the streets alone, I waited for hours in the same spot waiting for the officers to come back and help me, I hoped they were good people, they were not. Hello, my name is Mary and I am homeless.
I finally walked away from the street corner and followed papa's advise, I looked for a respectable person. Every face I passed turned away or spat at me, no one wanted to help a street rat. Walking up to a well-dressed couple hailing a cab I tugged on the mans dress coat and pointed to the note with a weak smile. He glared down and ushered his partner away,
"I thought they were cleaning the streets up of these urchins and yet they still beg and get in the way." His partner pulled away from him and reached for the note "No don't touch you'll catch something and she'll steal everything you have dirty pickpocket."
As he pulled his partner away I waved her goodbye, Papa always said to be kind to strangers, as you never know who'd change their mind and help. It seems she did not.
Struggling on for 4 years with the crumbled and worn note, I was still no closer to getting help. Everyone I showed the note to spat or swore or kicked me away, it was Spring when someone finally spoke kindly to me. It was in one of my best sleeping spots in the city I was found by a kindly old woman named Beth. Snuggled into my moth-eaten blanket under the Brooklyn Bridge amongst a few fellow unspeaking homeless kids I looked up to see the lady handing out scraps of what looked like bread and fruits.
"Hello sweetheart, I'm Beth would you like some dinner? Bread? An apple?" I nodded before reaching out and taking some of each, "No thank you? Where're your manners?" I nodded quicky to show I was grateful but she frowned and opened her mouth to speak,
"Bethy she don't talk! Never has, not since I known her" A boy called Henry from across the way shouted,
"She's a mute?"
"Don't know, maybe she don't want to talk? She got a note though… Blondie! Show her that note of yours! Bethy you'll get a kick outta this!"
I frowned at Henry, rummaged in my pocket and held out the note to Beth. She took a moment to read it.
"Well, nice to meet you Mary, where's your mama? She around here?" I thought about how to respond for a minute before I closed my eyes and crossed my hands over my chest, "Oh… I'm so sorry, what about my papa?"
I shrugged because, in all honesty, I didn't know, he was taken away for theft and when it had happened before he was only ever away for a night, but after waiting for weeks he didn't come back.
"Can you talk?" I nodded "Will you talk?" I shook my head, no, I hadn't spoken since long before papa was taken, I was taught children should be seen not heard, papa always said it'd better my chances of being taken in by a good family if I didn't run my mouth – like I used to. When papa was taken I just didn't feel like talking anymore, to anyone.
Beth looked me over with pity in her eyes "Sweetheart, enjoy your dinner, if you're still here tomorrow I'll bring you more."
I smiled and waved as she continued handing out to the other children.
I did stay and wait for her to return with scraps, and she actually did! I was so grateful it was the best I'd eaten in a long time, I almost broke my silence to thank her. Beth told me all the locations she visited to give out scraps so every day I made my way to each one. For months I followed Beth slowly building my strength, I had found out she was also homeless, but almost every night she left with different men and in the morning she came back with some money to buy the scraps. She had never mentioned my silence until 6 months later, winter was really setting in, she had begged me to speak.
"Mary, if you don't speak how do you expect to make friends? You must be a teenager now, you need friends on the streets if you plan to survive – it'll only get harder and I won't always be around…"
I raised my hand and shook my head, hoping she knew that meant Stop. I don't want to hear this. "What? Do you want to say something? Then SPEAK" I frowned. Standing up I pointed to the entrance to the alley and then myself – I will walk away.
"What Mary? SPEAK!"
I frowned, shaking my head dramatically before starting to walk away.
"Where will you go Mary? I'm about the only person that understands you out here, the only one to take the time to understand you, you gonna leave?"
I stopped, am I really thinking of breaking my silence? I coughed to clear my throat, I tried to start a sentence, no luck, cough and try again. I sighed turned to face Beth.
"Stop… makin' me… talk… s'not fair"
"Mary…"
"I don't… wanna" I coughed out and rubbed my throat.
"Throat hurt?" I nodded, "You need some hot lemon and honey if you're gonna start talking again-"
"I don't-"
"Well, you've done it now, I expect you to talk to me every single day now." Beth looked at me expectantly, "Meet me under Brooklyn Bridge at sunset I'm gonna go find some honey and lemon and a way to heat it up… by, tomorrow your throat will be right as rain"
"I-"
"Save your voice, I'll see you there at sunset, yes?"
I nodded, Beth smiled real wide and totted off. I sighed looking to the sky, it was only mid-day I should go do some searching myself, see if I can find some scraps for the other kids under the bridge. Ever since I started trailing Beth she showed me the best spots to find scraps, the best diners to dumpster dive behind.
It only took ten minutes to get to Pops' Diner on the east side of Prospect Park. Pops' was in desperate need of a paint job but was known for the best burgers in Brooklyn, Beth knew the bus boy there from the streets, so often he put out scraps or leftovers from customers dirty plates in a brown paper bag behind the dumpster, can't be picky on the streets. I took half a second to stare into the diner's windows at all the teens eating and laughing together, I sometimes think if mam hadn't died and papa didn't gamble all our money away I could have been one of them. Looking away I made my way around the back to check behind the dumpster, nothing yet, as I lifted the lid on the dumpster to look in a group of boys came around the back pushing a smaller boy ahead of them.
"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" The biggest kid hit the small boy, "Shoulda just shut your mouth," Another hit, the small kid hits the cement hard, for a moment he is still and then gets up raising his fists.
"Really?" The big kid laughs, aiming another punch, I have to help, I jump out from behind the dumpster
"Hey!" I coughed to clear my throat, "Don't… hit him!"
"Hey look, a little girl has come to the rescue!"
I frowned, leaping at the big kid taking him down, slapping at his face, his friends pull me off before throwing me down at the small kid's feet, I huff out as the air is knocked out of me.
"Bitch" Big kid seethed, the small kid bent down to cover me from the kick flying our way before it could connect the big kid was pulled back and threw against a wall. I looked up to see a teen with dark hair punch at each of the big kid's friends, they ran off leaving the big kid.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size… and gender?" The mystery boy shouted,
"I- He- I'm going, man!" The big kid crawled a few feet away before jumping up and running off too.
"Stevie. What you starting fights for now?"
"Aw Buck, I could have handled it,"
"Yeah right"
I looked between the two friends, confused, the small kid started the fight?
"Hey, are you okay? Sorry you got pulled into that" The small kid, Stevie said helping me up.
"Uh, it's, um okay" I frowned moving away.
"What's your name?" the kid Stevie called Buck asked, am I really going to start a conversation, start talking to strangers? This is so out of the ordinary.
"Mary."
"I'm Bucky, this is Stevi-"
"Steve." the smaller interrupted "My name is Steve"
I smiled slightly, "Okay" I paused, "Why did you… start a fight?"
They seemed to look between each other, Bucky smirking, "Yeah Stevie, what for this time?"
"I didn't- They- That big jerk was picking on a girl in the diner, I told him to stop and he kept doing it so I told him he was a stupid jerk… and then he asked to take it outside." Steve seemed to say it all so nonchalant like it happened all the time.
"You were sticking up for… a girl?" I asked frowning, on the streets, we stick up for ourselves.
"Why wouldn't I?" Steve frowned
"I-Well- I stick up for myself" Bucky gave a chesty laugh
"Well, some girls aren't as strong-willed as you, just like some boys aren't as stupid as Steve, picking fights with three guys double his size!"
"Well… I best go…" I muttered,
"Hey, wait, what were you doing back here anyway," Steve asked, I frowned, I thought it was obvious.
"Looking for food, what else?" I coughed out, they both frowned looking me up and down, realisation seemed to dawn on their faces, I rolled my eyes.
"You're… homeless?" Steve muttered, Bucky nudged him
"Steve, you can't-" Bucky started,
"Yeah, I am, what's it to yuh?" I interrupted
"Nothin' it's just, where do you sleep? Can't be safe for a dame?" Steve asked
"...the street, I sleep on the street," I frowned, this kid is dumb
"No, I know that, but-"
"Brooklyn Bridge, it's got other kids there and it's mostly safe if that's what you're wondering" my throat is really starting to hurt. "And I best go, I'm very hungry and this dumpster is empty" I started to walk away.
"Wait!" Steve yelled, holding my elbow "I can get you some food, my mom would be happy to share a meal, please" I pondered for a moment "Please, it's the least I could do, you stuck up for me"
"Okay…"
"Really?" "Really?" Both Steve and Bucky were surprised,
"Well, I am hungry," Steve looked happy, Bucky smiled along,
"Come on!" Steve led the way, Bucky and I followed his lead, down back alleys and streets. Before long we came to an apartment block, Steve started climbing the metal stairs, Bucky following, I sighed following after - I hadn't considered at all the consequences of following these two strangers… but they seem so nice.
Steve knocked and opened a dark green door, hollering inside "Mom! Mom, you home?"
"Steven Grant Rogers! You're late again, lunch was ready 10 minutes ago!" A beautiful blonde woman stepped into view. She was wearing a gingham blue dress which was cut past her knees, a stained white apron, blue worn Mary Jane kitten heels and her hair was kept in a neat up-do. She looked surprised to see she had company, "Steven you didn't say you were bringing Bucky, and who's this?" She smiled pleasantly at me.
"Mom, this is Mary, I offered her lunch, she… helped me with some bullies today." Steve's mom quickly looked back to him with a frown, noticing the small cut on his eyebrow.
"Steven. Again?" She rolled her eyes, "Come in, you three, Steven go get the first aid box, Bucky, Mary, go wash your hands."
"Thank you!" Bucky smiled, rushing into what I assumed was the kitchen.
"Bucky, show Mary where to go, please!" Steves mom shouted after him, smiled politely at me "Sorry sweet, these boys are a handful," I smiled back.
Bucky ran back "Sorry!" Bucky tugged my elbow, "Come on"