He was born one morning, it was cold and it was snowing, and from the start he never had
a chance, and though the doctors said he couldn't live, his mama had some faith to give, and
they brought him to her, and his mama named him Vance.
He was sick a long time then, I used to sit by him, I'd rub his head, he would squeeze
my hand, but he never cried, he gritted his teeth and smiled at me because he couldn't
speak, and that's when I began to respect the little man.
And I thought, well, I'm going to go to bed, and I'm going to go to bed, and I'm going

to go to bed, and I think Vance was three right about then.
He started school, and one day he came home, and at the doorway I could tell the little
man didn't want to come inside.
He had met a girl, but her boyfriend Smitty had caught him walking home with her and nearly
killed Vance, but then Vance never cried.
And the only thing that Smitty heard was pride, and he said, Papa, do you become a man when
you're 21?
And I said, age doesn't make a man a man, my son.
He looked at me so puzzled with eyes so young and confused.
He said I didn't look like him then.
He was a plump, soft-skinned little boy.
He looked at me and said, I wouldn't be bisa a man if I didn't love you, and he looked

He didn't like it.
And I don't think I was any better than him.
If I did, I would never do it.
He just didn't show any trouble.

I wore hah-h-h-h-h-h-h- veutki's shirt.

left on my ass and flew out on a flight.
I had to wait until I was adopted altogether.
Then I would always forget my mom and dad, and they were hiding all in the basement.
with Smitty and Vance was very small and he used to dream what it'd be like to be
tall and then a few years later Vance came in one day told me and his mama
that he had to go away to be fitted for a uniform though his mama shed a tear he
kissed her and said he'd see us in two years and he looked at me and said Papa
I'm gonna be a man
well two years to the day Vance came walking in the driveway and I didn't
recognize him from his size till he got near
he came in and said I'm going to be fitted for a uniform though his mama shed a tear he kissed her and said he'd see us in two years and he looked at me and said Papa I'm gonna be a man
and he said I'm going to be fitted for a uniform though his mama shed a tear he
in and he hugged his mom and said any Papa little man won't go with me
in and he hugged his mom and said any Papa little man won't go with me
somewhere and *** a beer so we were sitting at this table when this fellow
somewhere and *** a beer so we were sitting at this table when this fellow
started buggin Vance calling him soldier
Vance kept his cool
he said papa that guy smitty he needs to be very thankless that's the same
he said papa that guy smitty he needs to be very thankless that's the same
me in school. Then Smitty said the wrong thing when he brought up Becky's name and Vance
finally stood and said, boy, what did you say? And it did my heart so much good and
Vance hit old Smitty and it took two of Smitty's friends to carry him away. Well, Vance left
the very next morning and it was cold and it was snowing and from the first life hadn't
been much fun. But he had finally made a stand and he'd become a self-made man and incidentally
he had just turned 21.