“The problem with my town is that even if you graduate from high school, the most you can hope for is to work as a small farmer or a chance to own a small store.”
“My mother was one of eleven children born to a single mom. They had a system worked out: Each of the older siblings would be responsible for the expenses of one of the younger ones—paying for their food, buying them shoes.”
“When I turned twelve, I had a very difficult year. My grandfather died and a few months later, my parents divorced. The next year Hurricane Mitch devastated our town and my mother lost her job.”
“One year, I was in the hospital for five months. . . . My teachers came to give me my lessons bedside and my classmates brought me school supplies and letters of encouragement.”
“When I was six, my mother left. At eleven, my father died and I rented a room for six dollars a month. My sister gave me a bed and a dresser but, beyond that, I was on my own.”
“In the rainy season, the river would rise by as much as fifteen feet. During one very wet year, my sister, my cousin, and I missed months of classes because it was impossible to cross the river to get to school.”
How Does a Country Boy Find His Place in the City?