In 1948, Ms. Hawes and her friend Jacqueline Steiner created the saga of poor Charlie, who "on a tragic and fateful day" left home with 10 cents for his train fare, only to be condemned to ride the trains forever when he could not come up with the nickel exit fare in Jamaica Plain. The fare increase became a campaign issue in the mayoral race in 1949, and the two writers included a plug at the end of the song for their favorite candidate from the Progressive Party: "Fight the fare increase, vote for Walter O'Brien, get poor Charlie off the MTA" (The system was then called the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the precursor to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.) The song was recorded by a group of folk singers that included Ms. Hawes, her husband, Baldwin "Butch" Hawes, and Steiner.