She should have seen it coming.
Red Barrett had for eight long years endured a loveless shotgun marriage to the daughter of a Pennsylvania steel baron. She was a domineering daddy's girl, and from day one, she made no attempt to hide her disdain for Red. On good days, she ignored him, but often she was openly hostile. After a few years, he had stopped fighting, quit defending himself against her insults, and no longer believed that happiness was a possibility for him.
He trudged along the streets of Allentown, surviving as best he could the soul-crushing employment his father-in-law had arranged for him. By day, he peddled toiletries and tools from a heavy, wobbly-wheeled cart. By night, he suffered the slings and arrows of his wretched wife.
Until.
Until the onset of the Great Depression. It didn't ruin him; he had nothing of his own. What it did was put stories about hoboes in the newspaper. Before he took his melancholy out the back door, hit the road as Packrat Red and made a life of challenging but happy wandering, he left his wife a note.
"Lynnette - I don't love you. You don't love me. If I die tomorrow, walking free the rails to Reading, it will be a far better fate than another hour of life in this house. You may keep the filthy cart."
It's good to be back! This little warmup was written in response to the STUDIO 30 PLUS prompt "He took his melancholy out the back door," from Katy Brandes' ON THE CUSP OF SPRING.
It sounds like he found a pretty good way out Lyssa M x
ReplyDeleteHe did. I have no illusions about the new difficulties in store for him, but something had to give!
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
The parting note was priceless. I hope we read more about Packrat Red soon.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to go further with this one. I usually don't, because I'm still kidding myself that I might someday get through all 700 names on the list. Never say never, though!
DeleteIronic how it took the Great Depression to make him happy. I like it.
ReplyDeleteThank you! And yes - I think he's probably the exception to the rule, in that regard, but I have no doubt that, even in the dire 1930s, there must have been a few hoboes who CHOSE that life.
DeleteSounds like old Red Barrett was in a state of depression and the depression was a step out.
ReplyDeleteHe's an interesting case. I wanted to write more about him, but I was over the S30Plus word count target, as it was. Maybe I'll revisit his story, at some point.
DeleteThanks for visiting, and taking the time to comment!
The life of a hobo has its hardships but I imagine they can feel like nothing compared to being stuck in an unhappy relationship and an unhappy life.
ReplyDeleteIn his leaving, I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes - "Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation." He may have jumped from the frying pan and into the fire, but it was a calculated risk.
DeleteThanks for stopping by, Vinny. I owe your blog a visit - I know I'm falling behind!
The best revenge is happiness, eh? (I thought I commented previously, sorry!) Lovin' your hobos, as usual!
ReplyDeleteThanks Katy! I love the concept of revenge-through-happiness. It lurks in the back of my mind, always.
Delete