chapter ii: the old-fashioned way

 

myeck's room was on the second level, on the left - the farthest room from the privy (far left).
myeck's immigrant father experienced great difficulty adjusting to the American way of life. Although we was plucky, willing to work hard and determined to succeed, he was confused by the alien culture and couldn't find steady employment, even as his family began to grow. As he went from one short-term job to the next, the family followed along.

They lived out of suitcases for many years.
  

Finally, myeck's father scraped up enough money to start his own business. Buying a print shop, he cleaned and painted it and carefully hand-lettered a new sign over the door, and THE MYECK'S IMMIGRANT FATHER'S PRINTING COMPANY was open. Quickly he set about trying to drum up business.


Soon, a delegation of neighboring businessmen appeared and convinced him that placing advertisements would bring in more business than drumming; eventually work began to trickle in.

Eager to emulate other American shopkeepers, he proudly placed the first dollar he made in a frame and hung it on the wall - a bad move, as it was a particularly crude forgery. Once again, the plucky little immigrant was in trouble with the authorities.
     

The seller told myeck's
father that owning the shop  was "a license to print money," an unfortunate choice of words.