"All I Asking For Is My Body"

     I didn't feel sorry for Makot. I'm guessing his mother was a prostitute. Maybe his father or mother just gave him money so he could get out of the house and not be as exposed to the situations as he might have been if he just stayed there. He was for sure ashamed, that is why he pushed his mother back into the house when his friend came over. I think Makot will grow up a lot different than the other kids in his area. He may either follow his parents lead and not care about what people think as long as he can make a buck, or he might go the other direction and become angry and resentful at the situation. I don't feel sorry for him because I think in some ways he is more learned because of his childhood experiences. It will be his choice on which direction to take from here. At the end of the story it sounded like he has run out of kids to try to befriend. While he may have to live with his situation, there are plenty of stories of children who come out of places like that strong and productive to society. Children in the neighborhood who are not exposed to such things yet may learn them the hard way. The only thing that really scares me is that Makot is interested in buying a rifle, which may lead to more trouble making. It doesn't sound like he needs it for self defense, but he'll probably use it as a more powerful slingshot to kill more than birds.