THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, June 19, 2020 Page 7 ~Advocate Flashback – Worth Repeating~ A rose for a shoeshine boy By Richard Umbro I t was another busy Saturday morning as I weaved my way through the pushcart vendors in the Haymarket Square area of Boston. My destination was downtown, in the hub of the retail district, a pre-mall environment of classic department stores. It was late September or early October, circa 1945. I will venture to say that some readers of this article had not entered this world yet. I will also guess that most are reading it from that “Great Reading Room” in the sky. An autumn chill was in the air, as I pulled the frayed collar of my too light jacket up and fumbled with the sometimes non-functioning zipper, to ward off the cold. I had a full head of curly black hair in dire need of a haircut; that precluded the use of a hat, which I did not have anyway. I had just “thumbed” my way through the Sumner Tunnel from the east side of Boston: a neighborhood two shades more blue than most “blue collar” sections, where row upon row of “three deckers” was the habitat of need, not of choice. Cold water flats that housed predominately large families, struggling to keep a precarious foothold on the lowest rung of the then socio-economic ladder; and that humble goal was met with dignity. A place where the term “tenement district” most assuredly had its beginning. A place where one became street smart at too early an age. I was eleven years old and I was what they called, back in the day, a shoeshine boy. My black shoeshine box felt heavy that day and I adjusted the strap to relieve the tension on my shoulder. I checked inside to see if I had all my equipment. Brown and black cans of shoe polish, cleaning dauber and fl uid, brush and polishing cloths, and two extra La-Rosa coupons. Now you may be wondering, what on earth are La-Rosa coupons and what are they doing in an 11-year-old boy’s shoeshine box, in the middle of downtown Boston? Mysteries and enigmas of youth sometimes need explanation. Now, during the Great Depression years of the thirties and forties, many matriarchs of large ROSE | SEE PAGE 8 Caring for you in your neighborhood― it’s what we do best Dental care at no cost to you $305 towards eyeglass frames YMCA membership or $55 per month for gym membership We speak your language Join today! Call 1-888-566-3526 (TTY 711) www.seniorwholehealth.com/SNP Senior Whole Health complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Senior Whole Health (HMO SNP) and Senior Whole Health NHC (HMO SNP) are Coordinated Care Plans with a Medicare Advantage contract and a contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts/ EOHHS MassHealth program. Enrollment depends on annual contract renewal. H2224_2019_77906_M Accepted 9/24/2019 *Limitations may apply Nurse Care Manager to coordinate your care Up to $400 a year for health-related items Transportation to and from your doctor appointments* WE’RE OPEN and Here for You In-Person and Telemedicine Appointments at Our Stoneham and Malden Locations Are you coping with an injury, joint problem, sprain or strain? Some healthcare needs can’t and shouldn’t wait. Even during this uncertain time, our expert orthopedic, pain management, physical therapy and occupational therapy specialists are here to help you. Both of our locations are open and we are offering in-person and telemedicine appointments during regular business hours. We’ll work with you to determine the best option for your needs. Contact us to schedule an appointment: (781) 279-7040 • agilitydoctor.com Agility Orthopedics
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