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Breakfast for Mrs. Roosevelt

by Patricia D’Angelo

This passage tells the story of a girl named Gracie during the Great Depression. The Great Depression was a time in the United States from 1929-1939 when many people lost their jobs and struggled to have enough money. In this story, Gracie works at the airport when Mrs. Roosevelt, the First Lady of the United States, appears.

As you read, pay attention to the perspective of the narrator of the passage.



“The Great Depression was still affecting the country in 1937, and to help out at home, Gracie Olsen applied for a part-time job at the Allegheny County Airport. She was hired to work from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, as a set-up girl. She earned fifty cents a week.


As Gracie approached the airport terminal, the night crew was busy shoveling the sidewalks around the buildings, and Gracie could hear the plows clearing snow off the runways behind the terminal. I guess the planes were grounded, she thought as she walked up the steps and into the terminal.


The coffee shop was in a small, separate area at the far end. Gracie barely noticed the few passengers in the waiting area as she rushed across the black-and-white tiled floor. Pulling off her gloves, Gracie reached into her pocket for the key to unlock the shop. She opened the door and switched on the light. The hands on the clock that hung over the long, white counter seemed to frown at her as though they knew she was late.


Gracie tossed her coat on the nearest chair and pulled off her boots. She found an old newspaper under the counter and stuffed it into the boots to help dry them out. Gracie relocked the door with the CLOSED sign over the glass pane. She would turn the sign to OPEN at seven o’clock when the coffee shop officially opened for the day.


“Twenty minutes late,” Gracie muttered to herself as she reached for her apron. I’ll put the coffee on first today, Gracie decided. Some of the night crew might need a cup to warm them up if they’ve been shoveling snow all night.


After making the coffee, Gracie busied herself setting the tables and filling the salt and pepper shakers. A sudden, sharp tapping on the door startled her. The pepper she was pouring spilled over the countertop. Sneezing, Gracie jumped off the red leather stool where she’d been sitting and walked toward the door. A fashionably dressed lady stood facing her.


“I’m sorry,” Gracie began after unlocking and opening the door, “but the coffee shop doesn’t begin service until seven o’clock.”


“I’m Malvina Thompson,” said the lady before Gracie could close the door. “I’m the personal assistant to Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. I hope you can help us.”


Gracie wasn’t exactly sure what a personal assistant was, but she did know that Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt was the wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the president of the United States. Grandma Olsen said Mrs. Roosevelt was even more important than the president because she spoke up for women’s rights and for poor people and people of color. Grandma said she “had the president’s ear” and would tell him about all the people who needed help.


“Our plane was grounded because of the weather,” Miss Thompson continued. “We’ve been here all night, and Mrs. Roosevelt is hungry. Would it be possible for her to get something to eat?”


Gracie glanced past the door and saw the First Lady sitting patiently in a worn seat in the waiting area. Gracie knew that some people called Mrs. Roosevelt “Eleanor Everywhere” because she flew all over the United States to talk to people and write about their problems. And now here she was, in Gracie’s very own airport!


___


Adapted from Breakfast for Mrs. Roosevelt, by Patricia D’Angelo, ©️️ by Cricket Media, Inc. Reproduced with permission.

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Questions
How would this story be different if it were told from Malvina Thompson’s point of view?


The story would be less suspenseful because readers would instantly know that Eleanor Roosevelt is in the airport waiting area.


The story would be more suspenseful because readers would not know that Eleanor Roosevelt is in the airport waiting area.


The story would include the thoughts of all characters, so readers would know how Eleanor Roosevelt feels about her flight’s delay.


The story would be told from a neutral perspective, so readers would get a straightforward description of the plane’s grounding.
Show Hint

Answer 1

The first choice.

If the story were told from Malvina Thompson’s point of view, readers would learn right away who is waiting in the terminal (Mrs. Roosevelt), so Gracie’s surprise and the reveal would lose their suspense.