The early Atlantic crossings were brutal. Beyond the horizon there was opportunity. On the ships there was disease, starvation, and death.
The young mother, small boy in hand, stood in line for broth and biscuit. When she got to the front, she begged.
“Enough for me and my little one,” she whispered. The cook filled two bowls, risking a brutal lashing. Small children were to share their parents’ single meal. The cook winked at the boy.
That evening, the boy ate both rations, as he had since the ship sailed. He landed in the new world healthy and strong, an orphan.
I liked it very much.
Sweet and spiring
This shows the strength of those entering our shores, even today, but we’re building a wall.
Bittersweet.
Is this a tragic story about a mother’s sacrifice.? Or did the cook, who took such a dangerous chance, want the boy? I’m referring to the risk of the brutal lashings, the winking, and the provision of regular extra servings? The implication is that the mother starved. Could she have been murdered?
This story is making me think about the people who traffic in immigrants. Was this a business in the times of the Pilgrims and the people who came through Ellis Island? We know slavery was a business.
Agree with previous comment – bittersweet. Well done.
Exceptional. The final line is perfect – at once heartbreaking and hopeful.