From the Gutters of New York to the Stars of Hollywood

"Lying in the gutter, looking at the stars," June found herself humming a song she didn't even know. At the moment, she was lying on her apartment's dingy old couch (it was the only piece of furniture left in their home) with her roommate, Cora, asleep in her arms. The Great Depression had struck the entire country fiercely and June and Cora were no exception. Instead, it took all of their time and effort just to maintain their one-room apartment with the single couch in it. Despite how rough things were, though, June felt quite peaceful at the moment, idly stroking her sleeping companion's short brown locks and humming her little song all the while. Perhaps it was because, even though she was suffering from a shortage of everything (food, water, clothing, space, furniture, cash, etc), she still had Cora, and Cora was more than enough to help June forget all of her other woes. It made June's heart swell with love and affection to feel Cora curl up beside her.

"Listening to her breathing as she fights on through her battle scars, free as any bird with wings as wide," June continued to admire her sleeping companion. "And I'm free when I am with her," she murmured, believing it entirely. Though she was in the gutter, June felt like one among the stars because of the heavenly body sleeping beside her own. Cora always managed to make everything feel better, even when life was at its lowest, like now. It was cold and June was hungry, but when Cora was near, she was happy, and happy enough to be blind to everything else. Cora took away her worry and gave her hope, hope that things would get better and that they would one day achieve their dreams, just like they'd been planning for so many years now. June continued to watch Cora sleep under the gentle glow of the stars, genuinely feeling hopeful for their future together the longer they lay side by side. If Heaven existed, this was it.

And Cora felt much the same way.

"Dancing down the hallway, laughing at her chains," Cora hummed to herself as she watched June somehow find the strength and joviality to skip out of their apartment the next morning and down the street. It didn't matter that breakfast had been one piece of bread shared between the two of them and it didn't matter that the clothes they wore today were the same ones they'd worn for the entirety of the past week. Instead, June managed to smile through it all and she had grabbed Cora's hand when it was time to go, waltzing down the hallway with her and bursting out onto the empty streets of NYC. Despite how dismal everything looked, June continued to cavort her way through the city. Today was going to be another grueling day of trying to find a job, but at least June seemed to be in good spirits.

"Others fade away yet somehow she remains. Strong as any storm and just as wild!" Cora observed softly. As June continue to run along, the few stragglers that were out on the street all shot her dirty, wary looks, confused and suspicious as to how someone could be so happy during times like these. Cora, however, was in love with how easily June was able to ignore all the judgmental stares she was getting. While the other unhappy Americans faded away in a gray fog of despair and distrust, June seemed to shine with life, light and color, unaffected by their misery. Was June even human? Cora didn't know, but what she did know was that:

"I am strong when I am with her," the brunette smiled after the blond and picked up her own pace in order to catch up. Cora always viewed herself as being meek and mild, demure and submissive. June was the hotheaded troublemaker of the two of them, but whenever Cora was with June, Cora felt as though some of June's natural energy and courage was bleeding out onto her. It was a wonderful feeling!

"Yes I know, they could separate us," Cora admitted, referring to the general chaos occurring within America right now. "This is true. They don't even hate us. It's just what they do. But if only in my dreams, I will follow you, from the gutter to the stars," she promised as she ran after June, and this was a promise she intended to keep. Even if time and trial should separate them, Cora would still live to see a day where she and June could find the happy life together that they had always wanted. Even if it only happened in dreams, it would happen someday. Perhaps it was only June's courage that was talking, but Cora was certain of this!