Shoeshine Girl Read Online Free

fingers.”
    â€œI don’t want to get it on my hands.”
    â€œYour hands will wash.”
    She put the polish on with her fingers. She shined Mr. Naylor’s shoe. She untied his shoelace, pulled it tight, and tried to tie it again.
    Al tied it for her. “It’s hard to tie someone else’s shoe when you never did it before.”
    Mr. Naylor looked at his shoes. “Best shine I’ve had all year,” he said. He paid Al. He gave Sarah Ida a dollar bill.
    After he had gone, she asked Al, “Why did he give me this?”
    â€œThat’s your tip,” said Al. “You didn’t earn it. He gave it to you because you’re just getting started.”
    â€œWill everybody give me a dollar?” she asked.
    â€œNo,” he said, “and don’t be looking for it.”
    Others stopped at the stand. Sometimes two or three were there at once. Part of the time Sarah Ida put polish on shoes. Part of the time she used the polishing cloth.
    Toward the end of the day she grew tired. She tried to hurry. That was when she put black polish on a man’s brown shoe.
    The man began to shout. “Look what you did!”
    â€œIt’s not hurt,” said Al. “I can take the black polish off. Sarah Ida, hand me the jar of water.”
    She reached for the jar and knocked it over. All the water ran out.
    â€œGo around the corner to the filling station,” Al told her. “There’s a drinking fountain outside. Fill the jar and bring it back.”
    Sarah Ida brought the water. Al washed the man’s shoe. All the black polish came off.
    â€œSee?” he said. “It’s as good as new.”
    â€œWell, maybe,” said the man, “but I don’t want her giving me any more shines.”
    He went away.
    Sarah Ida made a face. “He was mean.”
    â€œNo, he wasn’t,” said Al. “He just didn’t want black polish on his brown shoes.”
    â€œAnyone can make a mistake,” she said.
    â€œThat’s right. Just don’t make too many.” He said, “You can go now.” He gave her a dollar. “This is to go with your other dollar.”
    â€œIs that all the pay I get?”
    â€œYou’ll get more when you’re worth more,” he said. “You can come back tomorrow afternoon. That’s my busy time. Come about one.”
    She didn’t answer. She turned her back on him and walked away.

The Boy on the Street
----
    In the morning she told Aunt Claudia, “I’m going to the drugstore.”
    â€œAren’t you working for Al?” asked Aunt Claudia.
    â€œMaybe I am, and maybe I’m not,” said Sarah Ida.
    In the drugstore she looked at magazines. She looked at chewing gum and candy bars. None of them seemed to matter much. Her money was the first she had ever worked for. Somehow she wanted to spend it for something important.
    She went home with the two dollars still in her pocket.
    She and Aunt Claudia had lunch.
    â€œIf you aren’t working for Al,” said Aunt Claudia, “you can help me.”
    â€œI’m going to work,” said Sarah Ida. Working for Al was certainly better than helping Aunt Claudia.
    She went down to the shoeshine stand.
    â€œSo you came back,” said Al.
    â€œYes,” she said.
    â€œI didn’t know if you would or not.”
    Customers were coming. Al told Sarah Ida what to do. Once she shined a pair of shoes all by herself.
    They were busy most of the afternoon. Her hair fell down into her eyes. Her back hurt from bending over.
    Late in the day Al told her, “You’ve had enough for now. You can go. You got some tips, didn’t you?”
    â€œYes,” she said. “Do you want me to count them?”
    â€œNo. You can keep them. And here’s your pay.” He gave her two dollars. “And I want to tell you something. When you get through with a customer, you say ‘thank