The Junk Picker

by Jan F. Drewniak, Don Drewniak

When I was in my mid-teens during the late 1950s, I would often see my father, Jan F. Drewniak, sitting at a desk late into the night in our house in Fall River, Massachusetts. On the desk was a collection of pens and pencils, stacks of writing paper and what looked to be two battered books. He alternated between writing furiously, pouring through the two “books” and occasionally sitting for long stretches with his eyes closed.I vividly remember one time when tears were streaming down his cheeks. It was the only time I ever saw him cry. What I did not realize was that he was writing about his experiences first in Brooklyn, New York, and then in the Berkshires. during the Great Depression. Unfortunately, I was too absorbed in high school life to have bothered to ask him what he was writing. Upon completion, the writings were put aside for over thirty years.Several days prior to his death in 1991, he handed me a small, sealed cardboard box and requested that I not open it until he passed away. I honored the request. When I finally opened the box, I found an envelope with the following written on it, “Please do not open this until you have read the enclosed.” Over eight hundred handwritten pages were piled under envelope. Once I began reading I realized that I was reading a manuscript—the manuscript that had to be the product of all the nights he had spent at his desk four decades earlier. I was stunned and amazed as I turned from page to page. The reading introduced me to a father I had never known.

278 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 12, 2012

Reviews

[Allen Madding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, spell binding, and entertaining

The story of a broke, smart mouthrd, hard working kid and his success at overcoming obstacles in business and in relationships. A very entertaining read.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny And Moving Story

This was such a good story. It's about Pinball Johnny, a city boy who ends up on a farm in the Berkshires. Johnny turns out to be quite the wheeler dealer in the junk picking trade. It takes place during the depression. It was funny and touching. Just a great read

[Lilian Gafni · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading The Junk Picker I found myself completely immersed into a small country town, routing for the main character Pinball.

The story follows, Jan Drewniak, aka “Pinball”, a uniquely likable character, and a young man that collects junk and turns it into treasure. His nickname was tagged after repairing a broken pinball machine in the shop where he worked. He gets the job in Jack’s machine shop that manufactured steel products, by offering his services, “I’m here to work and there’s no job that I can’t do or that I won’t do.” Jack overhears him and hires him on the spot. But Jack has big plans for Pinball.

So in the 1930s, eighteen-year old Pinball arrives in the Berkshires, outside Pittsfield in western Massachusetts, and hired by his boss Jack to repair deep ruts in his driveway and a house in need of fixing. From that moment on, Pinball has to fend and deflect the antics of a host of colorful characters such as Sparks, a close neighbor and the mongering of Edith’s gossip. Edith doesn’t trust the “junk picker”. She fears that her daughter May, might marry Pinball when she deserves better than that.

Pinball is a resourceful and a hard workin’ man, having had to help his family during the Great Depression and after his father’s death learned to pull himself from his bootstraps. Ready to help anyone and lend a hand to a neighbor in need, no job is too hard or beneath him. In the process of hauling other people's junk, unwanted furniture, auto parts and in one occasion several, discarded apartments that included walls, tubs, beams and plywood, he turns those discards into something new and durable. In addition, he uses the land to plant crops then shares it with his neighbors.

The author, Don Drewniak, paints beautifully the story of his father’s driven purpose to succeed. The Junk Picker is an entertaining story where life was not only hard during the Great Depression, but that everyone depended on friends to make a living. The characters are well developed, funny and helpful with one another. The Junk Picker is an enjoyable book to lose yourself in.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I have not been so moved by a character in awhile. This story of Pinball was so good. It isn't like any other book I've read. I loved his strong character, the tough times and adversity he lived through, but did that stop him, no, it only made him stronger. This young man built his own life and made so much out of nothing or not much into something grand. I still catch myself thinking about this young man and his strength of character.

[Doni Healy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

It has everything.I laughed,I cried,got mad.couldn't put it down but,I don't feel like I wasted the time it took to read it.well written.

[brett bloxom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down! The only complaint is I wanted more!