Waiting For Lefty

Florence, a young woman, waits for her date, Sid, to arrive and take her to a dance. She argues with her brother, Irv, who tries to convince her not to go. Florence insists that she is in love and always behaves, and therefore can see who she wants. But neither Irv nor their sick, bedridden mother wants the relationship to continue because Sid is a taxi driver and doesn’t make enough money to support a family. Florence points out that cab drivers once made good money, but Irv replies that they’re not making more than five or six dollars per week now. Florence doesn’t care, arguing that she also brings some money into the house, and that she wants to marry him but wants more in life than just marriage and babies anyways. Irv tells Florence, “You take care of Mom and watch your step!” (18) He threatens to force her to obey, insinuating potential violence against his sister or Sid. Irv suggests that she wait to consider marrying, and Florence asks why they can’t send their mother to a hospital. Irv retorts that a hospital costs money that they don’t have.