The Scribe by Kristin Hunter

    By vijayanna2505

    The Scribe by Kristin Hunter cover image

    15 Apr, 2024

    a painting of a man sitting on a bench in the rain with his hand on his face and his hand on his chin

    The story revolves around James, who lives in an apartment over the Silver Dollar Check Cashing Service. He was there to get some change for his mother. He notices that people who come in to cash a check are often taken like criminals. Old man Silver and Old man dollar charges innocent, illiterate people from fifty cents to one dollar for reading, writing letters to even cashing cheque!

    a man in a suit is sitting at a desk with a book and pen in his hand and a lamp on the table

    The mean old man behind the counter points to the one dollar sign. She nods. So he starts to fill out for her. "Name?" "Muskogee Marie Lawson" "SPELL IT!" "M,m,u,s- well, I don't exactly know sir"

    a painting of a man standing in a room with many shelves of books and bookshelves in it

    He noticed the way the customers were treated. Some, who could barely read or write, were often taken advantage of. This didn't sit well with James. He felt a pang of anger and sadness for his neighbors.

    a drawing of a man sitting at a table with a pen and paper in his hand and writing on a piece of paper

    The next day, James decided to take matters into his own hands. He set up a table in front of the Silver Dollar, with a sign that read, "PUBLIC SCRIBE, ALL SERVICES FREE."

    a painting of two men in suits and ties standing in a street with a newspaper in his hand and a newspaper in his other hand

    An old lady approached James and asked him to read her grandson's letter. She gave James a quarter ( 25 cents ) for helping her out. But he returned the money to her.

    a painting of a man with a backpack and a cell phone in his hand, walking down a street

    James was forced to pack up by a tall, heavy, blue-eyed cop as he doesn't have any license to run the business

    a painting of a man walking down a street in the rain with an umbrella over his head and a hat on his head

    James enquires about this issue with his parents. And he came to know that James's family has an account in a bank where they debit their cash for free without any charges. He also came to know that the majority of Black people are afraid of banks. And some even misunderstood that banks are only for white people

    a painting of two people hugging each other on a city street corner with a building in the background and a tree in the foreground

    James managed to sway three people - a young man, an old man, and an old lady. James promised to take them to a bank where they cash checks for free. But the young man and the old man changed their minds along the way. Despite their initial hesitation, one person stayed with him – a woman named Mrs. Franklin. James was pleased she was making efforts to be an independent woman.

    a painting of a man walking down a street with a bag in his hand and a backpack on his shoulder

    Mrs. Franklin, despite her illiteracy, was determined. Under James's guidance, she opened her first bank account. James couldn't be more proud of her. "Don't be afraid to try a thing just because you've never done it before" James managed to bring about a significant change in his community. His story continues to inspire many, proving that one person can indeed make a difference.

    The Scribe by Kristin Hunter

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