Tittle, tittle, tittle. Tittle, tittle, tittle. It was snowing hard on the windows of my home. We had split pea soup for dinner every night, and our beds were hard and uncomfortable. Dad was mean, and strict. He never played with us, and laughed very little. He was like this ever since Mom had died. She had died of tuberculosis, a disease that could not be cured. Before she died, she told me something I would never forget. "I will be with you, always." I never forgot those words she had said before she fell into a deep deep slumber.

But now all of that was gone. It seemed the whole world saddened after her death. The clouds were on the edge of crying and mourning.  

The autumn leaves were falling to the ground like soldiers falling on the battlefield. The people on the streets always looked mournful, and on the edge of tears. And it was all because of that stupid man whom we called Father. 

He had always been so serious about everything. He was always mean, and laughed very rarely. Everything was going wrong. We ran away to Canada, Jay and I. Jay was only a baby. Jay and I walked for twenty three days, to get there. We lived in Texas before. I was shocked to see that Canada was so big. We had left my dad’s home back in Texas, so we wouldn’t have to be punished for having childish needs. Like food, and love, and clothes. "Stop crying!" He would shout. I would try to protect Jay, but Father pushed me away. "Don't try to help him. He needs to learn his lesson.". And that's why I ran away with Jay. He would never have to experience that again.

We walked for 26 days, until we got far, far, far, away from home.  We started our new life in Canada, which was very hard. We lived on the streets, begging for food. Let’s start the story there, in 1928.

"Is Father still gone? And he won't bring us back home?” Jay asked. “Yes. He’s gone for good. Just don’t worry about him.” I answered. I had been taking care of Jay for 7 years, and he was my only family. We shook our cups, just for a little money. We did this for the next year, with Jay asking about a thousand times, the same question, until The Great Depression. It stopped all life on Earth for Jay and I.

"I'm so cold!" Jay complained loudly. "Well, would you rather be back home with Dad?" "No." He answered scornfully. He coughed. A farmer came up to them and gave them an umbrella. "For children don't get sick." She said in a Russian accent. "Thank you!" I exclaimed. She nodded, then walked away into the rain. We looked after her, until she disappeared into the cold, wet rain. "Well," I said to Jay. "Are you cold now?" "He looked at me with innocent eyes. "Maybe?" He answered. We both laughed loudly.