Name: Poppy Simmons

Age: 14

Date: December 10th, 1929
Ever since a few months ago, our family has never been the same. In October the stock market crash hit our family harder than I thought it was going to. Luckily papa had stashed some money around the house. Thanks to that little bit of money we seem to be getting by for now.
Although everything seems fine now, I’m can’t help but to feel worried about mom. Ma and Pa fight almost every day. Not like a real fight, more like a yelling fight. The fights seem to have started after Father tried to cash in his stocks, which was right after he heard about the crash, but it was already too late. Mama says our family has lost a great sum of money. Once I tried to ask what was really going on but all she said was, “you’re just a child so stay out of it.”
That was the end of the conversation; all I wanted to do was help. She walked away leaving me speechless due to the way she said it with hatred that filled her voice. Why won’t anyone tell me what’s going on?
Name: Poppy Simmons

Age: 14

Date: January 4th, 1930
Things have only gotten worse. Ma and Pa’s fights have only gotten more vivid. Father keeps yelling things like “Stay out of it!”
“It’s my responsibility!”
Or even things like “I can handle this myself!”
I can’t really be sure what they are talking about but one can only assume it is about money and income or something. I am too scared to ask considering what happened last time. I can hardly even listen in, I am too busy trying to keep Rose busy, and she is only five and doesn’t need to be exposed to this kind cruel parenting.
I just wish that everything would go back to the way it was before. If thinks didn’t change who knows, I would probably be out with my friends having a good laugh. Nope instead of having a good time I am just here taking care of my little sister while my family is basically crumbling due to the lack of financial support. I know there isn’t much mother can do to help dad with the financial problems of our family but he won’t let her help with anything and that’s no good.
Name: Poppy Simmons

Age: 14

Date: March 4th, 1930
Just as I suspected, something bad happened, Father lost his job. Mother was so upset that she packed up her and rose, to go visit grandpa and ma. I figured it is because she wants to get away from Dad; at least she took rose with her.
As for me and papa we stared packing to move to Uncle Jim’s farm. Uncle Jim is letting us stay there for now, as long as we help out in the fields. It’s not going to be much but at least we are getting out of the city and we aren’t homeless. I just hope that mama will send for me soon.
Name: Poppy Simmons

Age: 15

Date: September 27th, 1930
I am practically going insane; it might be the heat from working on the farm, or many the exhaustion of constantly picking apples in the orchard. To be realistic it is probably a combination of both. Since uncle Jim’s farm is not too far away from the city we have been helping none stop picking apples to sell in the city. Father has been going to the city on the weekend to sell apples
Father is getting worried about mother. We write her weekly but she never responds. I just hope he and rose are okay. Since she left we never talk anymore (not that we ever did anyway). Having no human interaction doesn’t help with the insanity.
On the bright side I might get to go to the city to help father sell apples next weekend.
Name: Poppy Simmons

Age: 15

Date: January 21th, 1931
Things might start looking up for a change, Father seems to have got some extra money once the Bonus Bill got passed, which gave veterans of world war one a dollar for every day that they served. Even though we have a little extra money I don’t think it is the end of all troubles, if dad is smart he will save it.
It’s good that we have extra money but we still haven’t heard from mother in almost 6 months. I have written so many letters, but have never gotten a reply. I don’t understand why she would do this to me. Leave me with no one to talk to, no one to relate to. Just a year ago she told me I was too young to get involved in family affairs, but I’m not too young to be abandoned by my own mother. I figure she took rose with her because she was so young. I am pretty much on my own; I even started talking to the pictures on the walls. We used to be best buddies but now were not. I wish you would tell me why.