Brother Can You Spare A Dime

THE GREAT DEPRESSION

It was on a battlefield during WW I. They were buddies sharing the same foxhole. Years after the war, one had fallen on hard times. While begging for food money, his buddy happened by....but he didn't recognize his friend. He was only another bum.

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime

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Once I built a railroad, I made it run
I made it race against time
Once I built a railroad, now it's done
Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once I built a tower, up to the sun
Bricks and mortar and lime
Once I built a tower, now it's done
Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell
Full of that Yankee-Doodly-dum
Half a million boots went slogging through Hell
And I was the kid with the drum

Say, don't you remember, you called me "Al"
It was "Al" all the time
Say don't you remember, I was your pal
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Brother....can you spare me a dime

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They didn't want to beg, but there were mouths to feed. The crash of '29 had devistated families across the land. The bread lines grew longer with each passing day. The soup kitchens struggled to stay open. Men, drained of their pride, sold apples on the corner for a few pennies. A girl sold roses every evening. They called her.... "Paper Rosie". They were only paper roses, but they only cost a dime.

Those were hard times.

It lasted over ten years. From 1929 until World War II. People were back to work again. All the hero's were not on the front lines. They were also on the home front, in the factories and the shipyards. And one such hero, was "Rosie the Riveter". But that's another story........

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