Chapter 41: Tears
Chapter 41: Tears
Johnny gnawed the last shred of meat off the bone, patted his belly with satisfaction, and smirked—he’d made another ten dollars today.
Life was good. He had paid two quarters’ worth of protection fees recently, meaning he didn’t have to worry about those expenses for the next six months. At first, handing over the money had stung, but as John had assured him, it wasn’t money disappearing—it was just being paid in advance.
Glancing at the apprentice wiping down tables in the corner, Johnny scoffed before heading to his room. He was in a great mood tonight; consistent sales always did that for him.
He lay down on his bed, placing the cash box under the nightstand, and turned on the radio to listen to a serialized drama.
Radio dramas were a staple entertainment for the Federation’s working class. Televisions, while available, were costly, and lower-income families didn’t have the luxury of time to sit in front of them. Most worked from early morning until exhaustion claimed them at night. For those who did enjoy television, peeking through store windows on the way home sufficed.
Some stores strategically placed TVs in their windows to attract passersby. Why buy a TV when you could watch for free?
The drama, co-hosted by a male and female narrator playing the story’s characters, used rich dialogue and voice acting to immerse listeners completely. It was one of the most popular programs, airing from 8:30 to 9:25 p.m.—a solid fifty-five minutes, enough to entertain without disrupting sleep schedules.
Johnny, his belly full of greasy, sugary food, began to drift off as the narrators spun their tale. Half-asleep, he heard footsteps outside and growled, "Damn brat, what the hell are you doing wandering around at this hour?"