Chapter One- Shoe Shining Aplenty

New York City, America   1912

        The streets of Old New York seemed derelict and empty. Newspapers were scattered across the train station floor as the sounds of the foggy breeze swept by. A big boat sat at the end of the harbor, next to the train station full of immigrants waiting to arrive in this new land of freedom and opportunity. On the dock was a young man in a beige newsie hat and a worn-out suit. This man was Alan Lisiewicz, and his life would forever change on these docks.

        He was a simple man coming from a Polish immigrant family. Alan had little money to use for clean and nice suits as well as no money for a nice home. He lives with his mother and father, Urszula Lisiewicz and Ludamir Lisiewicz in a small apartment filled with cobwebs and dust bunnies. Living conditions were poor for the Lisiewicz family, and it seemed like it would stay that way for a long time.

        Alan was studying a newspaper as the boat rocked back and forth in the harbor. He had been looking for job opportunities, any job opportunities. Shoe shining was the clear path to go for a quick penny or few, but Alan had never shined a set of shoes before. Maybe he could be a clerk at a store in the streets of New York. Maybe he could even be a trolley conductor. Alan really had no idea what his future held other than poetry.

        Poetry had always been Alan’s most keen interest, but his publications have gotten him nowhere. He’s tried posting poems in newspapers and making books, but they never gained momentum. Maybe his poetry wasn’t good or he just had bad luck, but Alan was distraught in the life he lived.

        Alan decided on the job he wanted to pursue as he walked through the bustling streets of New York City. He set down his newspaper and sat on a stool with a new bottle of shoeshine ready for shining shoes.

        “Well,” said a large man in a top hat and black suit, “I guess I have time for a shoe shine. Mister! One shoe shine, please!”

        “Absolutely sir,” said Alan putting on his cap, “How do you do, sir?”        

        The man placed his cane down and lowered himself onto the stool. “I’m doing absolutely awful, my business is slowly tanking,”

        “Oh,” said Alan apathetically. “What do type of business do you run, by chance?”

        “I am the CEO of the biggest watch company on the Eastern Seaboard. Name’s Elijah Lupin, CEO of Lupin watches,”

        “I’ve never had nearly enough money to afford one of your watches, sir,” stated Alan sadly, “Shoe shining doesn’t make a man much,”

        “Of course,” said Elijah, looking at a newspaper he found on the floor, “Tensions rising in Yugoslavia again?”

        “Believe so,” said Alan still shining the man’s shoes, “Did you hear about the boat that they’re sending from Southampton to New York City itself, they called it indestructible. I think it’s called the Titanic,”

        “The cruise?” asked Mr. Lupin. “Heard of it. There’s a big deal surrounding that cruise, ain’t there? We’ll just have to see how indestructible it really is, eh?”

        Silence fell over the 2 men until Alan broke the ice as fast as he could, “Nice shoes you have, Lupin. Where did you get them?” asked Alan looking at Elijah’s black shoes.

        “These pieces of junk?” asked Elijah blandly, “Got ‘em at some shoe store in the Bronx. The shop has some of the best shoes in New York City, I just happened to buy a pretty bad pair from that place. The place is called Lauman’s Shoe Palace, owned by a German immigrant family. That family also owns a store nearby selling cuckoo clocks and such. Still, not a single clock can outdo a Lupin watch,”

        Alan sat in silence staring at the shiny shoes of the man, “There you go. Have a nice day.” said Alan taking the white piece of cloth he used to shine Elijah’s shoes and shoving it into his tiny pockets.

        Elijah walked off without even dropping a single penny in the pot by Alan’s stool, “Excuse me, sir!” shouted Alan as the man walked by the bustling brick buildings, “Payment will be needed!”

        Elijah rolled his eyes and dropped a small copper penny on the cobblestone sidewalk. Alan grabbed the penny and put it into his other pocket, cherishing the coin in his dirty palms.

        As Alan put the penny in his pocket, a young woman dressed in period clothing sat at the stool, her bright red shoes worn out from the hustle and bustle of New York City. Alan looked up and smiled.

        “Who do we have here?” asked Alan as nicely as he possibly could.

        “Who do we have here, a gentleman? Sorry, I don’t give out my name to random strangers. I came here for a shoe shine, and I’m going to get one,” said the woman bossily, “My shoes are getting a little worn-out, won’t you say? Now, let’s hop to it,”

        “Whatever you say, ma’am,” said Alan smirking as the woman put down her white and black parasol, “How do you do today?”

        “Fine, I guess,” said the lady putting some red lipstick on, “My boyfriend dumped me on Friday for some rich lady. He was always rather stupid, so it was happy to get rid of that elephant,”

        “He doesn’t sound like the gentleman a lady like you might want,” said Alan looking down at the ground as she shined the lady’s shoes.

        The lady shot him a look and then went back to looking through a scarlet book, “Whatever you’re trying to do, it’s not going to work with me. Just to let you know,”

        “I’m well aware,” said Alan, “I’m sorry your boyfriend dumped you like that, it’s just awful, you know?”

        “Yeah, sure,” said the lady still reading the book, “It’s really a shame, isn’t it? I don’t assume you’re in a relationship?”

        “No ma’am,” said Alan in a deeper tone of voice. “I’m looking for a girlfriend, though. Nobody yet has caught my eye.”

        The lady rolled her eyes and then looked at Alan, “Makes sense.” she said sarcastically. “Getting a girl is hard these days, you know? Too bad you can’t just stroll the streets and ask any lady you see out.”

        “I’ve never been one to do that, ma’am,” Alan said blandly, “I have tried to engage conversation with people, to make friends, but some people are just so rude that they’ll blow you off.”

        “Yeah, sure, whatever.” the lady said in a slightly amused tone. “You missed that spot, by the way, so you’re not done. I mean have you ever shined a single shoe?”

        “No, ma’am,” said Alan looking up at the lady, seeing her dispassionate expression.

        “Can’t believe I’m actually getting my shoes shined by somebody who’s never shined a single pair of shoes,” whispered the lady underneath her breath.

        “I’m sorry, what did you say?” asked Alan in a very stark tone compared his usual cheery voice.

        The lady giggled, “It’s kinda cute how stupid you are. If you are so curious about my name, it’s Adelaide or Adelia for short. Adelaide Marimont,” Adelia dropped two pennies into Alan’s box. “The extra penny is because my pockets feel good when they’re empty,” said Adelia as she picked up her parasol. She then winked at Alan and strolled along.