The city hall hallway smelled like wet coats and coffee. Mara sat on a bench outside the council room with her son’s school picture in her lap.
“You can come in,” said Councilman Reed.
Inside, Mr. Nolan stood beside a cardboard sign from his hardware store. It said, **NOW HIRING**, but the letters had been crossed out with black marker.
“I don’t want to let anyone go,” he said. “Sales are down. I need help making payroll until spring.”
Across the room, Tasha held a folder with her name written in blue ink. She had lost her job at the plant two months ago. The folder held forms for a welding class at the community college.
“The class starts next week,” she said. “If I can’t pay for it, I’m stuck looking for the same kind of work that just went away.”
The town had one state job grant. It wasn’t enough for both plans.
The first plan would give small shops money to keep workers through the slow season. Mr. Nolan said it would protect twelve jobs at his store alone. He knew every one of those people. One was saving for a first apartment. One had a new baby. One had worked there since high school.
The second plan would pay for job training. Tasha said it could help people who were already out of work move into jobs that were growing.
Mara looked at the papers on the table.
Her brother worked at Mr. Nolan’s store. Her neighbor, Tasha, had watched Mara’s son after school when Mara worked late.
The mayor placed two cards beside the microphone.
One said, **Keep workers in their jobs.**
The other said, **Train people for new jobs.**
“Only one plan can get the grant,” she said.
Mara picked up a pen.
The room stayed quiet.