Liz
Before all the food ran out we had
white bread & ketchup & potato chips
& I'd make myself sandwiches, I
thought they were delicious
That was when I was yelling at him,
he'd go out & come back & I'd
yell at him - "You've eaten something
and I'm here starving!" and I was
One day I walked all the way from Oakland
to Berkeley and I went to the library
& sat there & took out cookbooks
& copied recipes - it was like I
was eating the words
He was a musician, it was ok for him,
but not for me I tell you I'll
never live that way again
He went out to play music on Telegraph
Avenue, you know, that whole hanging
out scene on Telegraph Avenue
I'd have to stay home alone in the
dark room with the baby
I wanted to come along with my old
man, see some people, get outside
But he didn't want me tagging along
I didn't get food stamps, I don't
know why, just didn't have it
together, didn't have my birth
certificate
I'd wake up hungry and there he
was in the chair smoking a joint
Now I know what it's like to starve
and I'll never do that again, I'd
rather die
Bonnie Schulman
1978