Big Tex,
That was an excellent piece of writing! Thank you for sharing. It always amazes me, a child's capacity for hope and self-delusion. My son is a combination of both of those children -- he wants so badly to be liked, but acts badly like Freddie to cover up his hurt sometimes...
Tink,
I thought the thousand year's light at the end was more the young boy's walking off into the hope of paradise. You know, that paradise we all yearned for, where people would eternally treat one another with the love, dignity and respect that each deserves.
outnfree