For his sixty-plus hours per week Antonio earned free rent in their two-room apartment and seventy-five dollars a week cash. They seemed to get by on it, though, as Maria was frugal with the grocery money, even though things were SO expensive here. At least God had not cursed them with any bebitos to care for, because then they would really have it tight. As it was, she had managed to put away a little rainy day money in a peanut butter jar she kept hidden under the sink--she didn't dare tell Antonio about it for fear he would blow it on something exravagant. Sometimes, when she knew he was gone and wouldn't be back until the evening, she would take out her peaunut butter jar and count her savings--as of last week she had saved one-hundred and seven dollars and sixty-two cents. She wasn't quite sure what they would ever use it for, but she felt better knowing it was there.

• edward8