In 1969 I was a young girl working in Toronto.
In
1969
I
was
a
young
girl
working
in
Toronto
.
I was from a small town in Ontario and had just moved to the big city about three months earlier.
I
was
from
a
small
town
in
Ontario
and
had
just
moved
to
the
big
city
about
three
months
earlier
.
It was one week before Christmas and I was going home on the last streetcar of the evening.
It
was
one
week
before
Christmas
and
I
was
going
home
on
the
last
streetcar
of
the
evening
.
I remember looking at my paycheque and asking myself how it was going to endure.
I
remember
looking
at
my
paycheque
and
asking
myself
how
it
was
going
to
endure
.
At that time in my life I hardly had enough money to exist on.
At
that
time
in
my
life
I
hardly
had
enough
money
to
exist
on
.
Bread for supper and oatmeal for breakfast was the only way I kept hunger at bay.
Bread
for
supper
and
oatmeal
for
breakfast
was
the
only
way
I
kept
hunger
at
bay
.
I got off the streetcar and started walking up the street, when I suddenly noticed a man was running after me.
I
got
off
the
streetcar
and
started
walking
up
the
street
,
when
I
suddenly
noticed
a
man
was
running
after
me
.
I stopped, turned around, seeing that he was black.
I
stopped
,
turned
around
,
seeing
that
he
was
black
.
I "snapped", "What do you want?"
I
``
snapped
''
,
``
What
do
you
want
?
''
The man answered in a soft voice, "I am returning your wallet.
The
man
answered
in
a
soft
voice
,
``
I
am
returning
your
wallet
.
You left it on the streetcar seat."
You
left
it
on
the
streetcar
seat
.
''
Because of that man's thoughtfulness, I was allowed the comfort of going home by bus for the summer holidays.
Because
of
that
man
's
thoughtfulness
,
I
was
allowed
the
comfort
of
going
home
by
bus
for
the
summer
holidays
.
Otherwise, I would have stayed alone in my small room with a hog plate.
Otherwise
,
I
would
have
stayed
alone
in
my
small
room
with
a
hog
plate
.
I have never been so ashamed of myself, and that poor, kind man had to walk, who knows how far, home.
I
have
never
been
so
ashamed
of
myself
,
and
that
poor
,
kind
man
had
to
walk
,
who
knows
how
far
,
home
.
I recognized immediately that this was wrong of me and it changed my ways forever.
I
recognized
immediately
that
this
was
wrong
of
me
and
it
changed
my
ways
forever
.
In 1969 I was a young girl working in Toronto. I was from a small town in Ontario and had just moved to the big city about three months earlier. It was one week before Christmas and I was going home on the last streetcar of the evening.  I remember looking at my paycheque and asking myself how it was going to endure. At that time in my life I hardly had enough money to exist on. Bread for supper and oatmeal for breakfast was the only way I kept hunger at bay.  I got off the streetcar and started walking up the street, when I suddenly noticed a man was running after me. I stopped, turned around, seeing that he was black. I "snapped", "What do you want?" The man answered in a soft voice, "I am returning your wallet. You left it on the streetcar seat."  Because of that man's thoughtfulness, I was allowed the comfort of going home by bus for the summer holidays. Otherwise, I would have stayed alone in my small room with a hog plate.  I have never been so ashamed of myself, and that poor, kind man had to walk, who knows how far, home.  I recognized immediately that this was wrong of me and it changed my ways forever.