Chapter 171

• A man came charging out of the stable. He roughly pushed the boy down to the ground and the child skidded in the dirt from the hard impact. "Boy, how many times do I have to tell you to leave my customers be! Now git, before I put a knot in your head!" the man threatened.
• The malnourished boy winced as he stood up. His resignation to the painful assault proved to me this was an everyday occurrence for this child trying to survive in an unfeeling city. He began to walk away.
• "Hold on, Mister," I angrily said. "Me and this boy, had just started negotiating a business deal when you interrupted us. Now, I'm leaving my animals hitched to this rail while me and this young'un discuss the details over lunch. When we get back, I'll be renting a stall from you, but the boy will be tending to my animals. If you've got a problem with that, you best let me know right now. Because if I see or hear of you mistreating him, I'll do to you, what you did to him!"