Shoeshine

Try to walk in Gods ways

Offer your hand of friendship

A hand that holds no worldly goods

For as food that is eaten and consumed

Your hand be forgotten

~ Gemini Joe ~

am going to go back to a point in my life that I think is very important. I never felt like I was too much, because my family was too much for me. They were all powerful and I was just the runt of the litter, but I faked it a lot and I got through it.

When I was twelve, I wanted to do something to make money.

My brother Victor said, “Hey, Joey, I’ll help you build a shoeshine box then you can charge a nickel per shine.”

“That would be great,” I said.

He was very smart about animals, but he wasn’t so good with carpentry. It was lousy wood and the nails weren’t too good either. Some of the nails went in and some of them bent, but he tried his best.

When he finished, I bought two brushes, black and brown polish and wax with the last two dollars from the fish business.

Victor gave me directions from Bensonhurst to Coney Island by train. “Take the BMT line,” he said. “Get off on the last stop.”

Now, how was I going to get there? I had no money.

The station at Seventeenth Avenue had a turnstile. Looking around for the attendant, I saw two guys put one nickel in the slot and push through together. Maybe I can sneak in, I thought.

I saw a woman at the next turnstile with packages fumbling for her token. I helped her and then asked, “Could I squeeze in with you?”

“No,” she scolded. “Go ask your mother.”

I backed away and waited for the next person. This time, a man, not as old as my father, but young enough, perhaps, to bend the rules, came toward me. I studied his face, trying to decide if it was safe to ask, but before I could say a word, the man offered.

“Do you need to ride the train, little guy?”

I nodded.

“Well, get in front of me and I’ll let you through, but hurry so we don’t get caught.”

I said, “Thanks, mister,” and pushed through to the other side. It was great. He got his ride and I got mine.

The sound of the train rumbling as it came down the tracks grew louder and everyone ran to catch it. I jumped inside just in time before the door closed and found a seat by the window. Sitting on the train by myself, I rode to Coney Island and stayed alert so I wouldn’t miss my stop. I came out and there it was. It was like a magic world filled with beautiful lights. On the corner was the famous Nathan’s Hot Dogs. I could smell the Coney Island corn and hear the thunderous sound of the cyclone as it roared to a downward drop. The screams of the riders made me wish I had money to ride the famous roller coaster, but I had a job to do so I found a busy corner to set up my shoeshine box

Soon I had my first customer. Boy, I thought. I’m going to make a lot of money, but before I could get another shine, two Irish boys came and up to me looking very angry.

“This is our corner,” they said. “You don’t belong here, Guinea! They threw my shoebox in the street and tore everything up. I got scared so I packed up everything and went back home. At least I made a nickel for the train.

When I got home, I told my brothers what happened.

They said, “You go back there tomorrow and get your spot or we will kick the shit out of you.” Well, either my brothers were going to do me, or these two Irish boys, so I went back the next day.

This time, there was only one boy so I felt braver.

“Didn’t my brother tell you this is our corner?”

“Well you now have someone else,” I said and continued to set out my polish. My stomach fluttered because I thought he was going to hit me, but he didn’t. He just stared at me for a moment.

“Well, I guess you can stay, but don’t steal my customers.

“I’m Joey,” I said.

“My name is Rudy and my brother’s name is Henry.”

We became friends… for a while, anyway.

The next day, Rudy wasn’t alone. I guess he talked to his brother and said Joey is Okay. Rudy and Henry came over to me.

“Joey, just keep away from us, because we were here first.”

“I understand that,” I said and thought, wow, this is it, I am.

“Do you need a shine?” I asked the first man I saw walking past me.

“No,” he growled and kept going.

Discouraged, I waited for the next guy.

He was a neatly groomed businessman, on his way to work.

“Can I shine your shoes mister?” I asked putting on my cutest smile and it worked.

Determined to do my best, I took my time and buffed his shoes until they shone like a mirror. The man thought I did such a good job he gave me a quarter.

Soon, one man after another agreed to let me shine their shoes. I had a pocket full of nickels, and one quarter.

Hungry for another nickel, I waited for another man to walk by.

“Do you need a shine?”

I asked a man dressed in an expensive suit.

“Sure!” he said, but don’t get polish on my socks,” he warned.

Oh boy! Another quarter! I thought and pulled out my black polish.

The man lifted his left foot on the stand and the hem of his pants rose, exposing his white silk sock. I carefully shined and buffed, but noticed what seemed to be dried blood on the man’s shoe so I rubbed it out with the polish. Even though I tried to be careful, some of the black smeared onto the man’s sock.

“Okay, next,” I said, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

When he lifted his right foot, I saw the butt of a gun in a holster. It made me nervous and the tip of my brush rubbed along the man’s sock. This time, I couldn’t hide it. Boy was he angry!

“I told you to be careful,” the man yelled. He took his foot off the stand and tried to rub out the polish.

“I’m sorry mister,” I apologized.

“You don’t think that I’m paying for this lousy shine, do you? I’m going to call the police and they will arrest you,” The man said and walked off.

I didn’t want to do something against the law so I went home. At least the first customer gave me a quarter.

I love to stay in my childhood, because, I find it so comical. It wasn’t funny at the time I’m sure, but it happened.

During my young years, I had a tough time, believe me, but I faked it.

We all go through things. You see childhood is always good to remember, because it can sometimes help you in your older years to see what your faults are. I wouldn’t say defects, because faults are something that all human beings have, and boy, I had plenty. I didn’t have much going for me, but I used every resource that I could.