Where is the time, I have to go. Where is my coat and hat, it is cold outside. I hope that it is not going to rain, Paris in the autumn, you are guaranteed grey skies everyday or at least that is what it feels like and if you are lucky rain every other day. It does make for a long winter, a very short autumn but a long winter. At least we don’t have to worry too much about snow, that would be hard because boots are so expensive and I don’t really have the extra money to spend on snow boots, least of all the whole family. A factory worker’s pay does not allow for much at all. I shouldn’t complain because I still have my job, since the war has ended, many of the men who came back, took up where they left off and the women were fired. Since I work in the sewing machine factory, not many men were working there before the war, so my job has always been safe, I inherited it, if you will, from my Maman. Having a family history with the factory does help, because Gabrielle and Maman during holiday seasons are able to come in for part-time work that helps us out during the year with extra money. It also helps out the Patrons because they don’t have to train any one else, Maman and Gabrielle are very experienced. All in all I must say that we live in a very tidy universe on Avenue Victor Hugo and rue de la Pompe.
Here I am at last out the door; Papa is still sleeping near the stove. I wonder if he even noticed that it is no longer cold in the apartment. One of these days, someone is going to have to do something about Papa, he can’t go on like this. Maman needs help and a husband who is at least present. It can’t be good for the little ones to see an adult do nothing all day long except eat, drink and fall asleep in a chair listening to the radio. I should stop worrying about it now; I have to start thinking about work. Down the stairs, two at a time and I am out onto the Avenue.
It is not that bad outside, here I am at the corner of rue de la Pompe and voila, I am at work. There is Sabine; she is my best friend in the world. We have known each other since we were in the bassinet together because our Maman’s are best friends and they worked at the Usine together for years since they were young girls. Back then it wasn’t a sewing machine factory of course, it had been a factory for textiles. When in 1910, it changed over to a sewing machine factory; the Patron simply kept the same factory workers and trained them for the new jobs.
Sabine and I work side by side on the assembly line. We try to set new records, not just in speed but in efficiency and quality. Anything to keep our jobs interesting, the monotony not only can drive someone batty but it also can lead to bad work. Bad work equals bad product which then equals time docked for bad product and that eventually leads to no job. Sabine and I, we have no illusions, we know that we need our jobs. Not only do we need our jobs to put food on the table for our families but we are also young and we do like to go out every now and again to the new café’s and the new music clubs that are opening up all over Paris.
Chapter 1, page 5, paragraph 1 – 3 Madeleine trying to get to work -excerpt from The Chic Bootlegger
29 Tuesday May 2012
Posted in postaday, postaday2012
laurieanichols 