Page 102 (1/2)

“Children?”

“Loreda Martinelli, thirteen Anthony Martinelli, eight”

“Address?”

“Uh”

“Side of the road,” he said with a sigh “Around here?”

“About two miles south”

He nodded “Squatter’s camp on Sutter Road When did you arrive in California?”

“Two days ago”

The young man wrote all that down on her red card, then looked up “We keep records of everyone who com

es into the state Your date for residency starts when you sign up, not when you actually arrive There’s no state relief until you’re a resident, defined as being in the state for a year Come back on April twenty-sixth”

“A year?” Elsa frowned “But … I hear there’s no work in the winter Don’t folks need help then?”

The ive you some help Commodities Every teeks” He cocked his head “That’s their line over there”

Elsa turned, saw the even longer line down the street “What’s commodities?”

“Beans Milk Bread Food”

“So, all those folks are standing in line for food?”