"They b-beat m-me," I gasped. "They t-t-took the m-money." I started up the steps, seeking the shelter of the house. "Don't you come in here," my mother warned me. I froze in my tracks and stared at her. "But they're coming after me," I said. "You just stay right where you are," she said in a deadly tone. "I'm going to teach you this night to stand up and fight for yourself." She went into the house and I waited, terrified, wondering what she was about. Presently, she returned with more money and another note; she also had a long heavy stick. "Take this money, this note, and this stick," she said. "Go to the store and buy those groceries. If those boys bother you, then fight." I was baffled. My mother was telling me to fight, a thing that she had never done before. "But I'm scared," I said. "Don't you come into this house until you've gotten those groceries," she said. "They'll beat me; they'll beat me," I said. "Then stay in the streets; don't come back here!" I ran up the steps and tried to force my way past her into the house. A stinging slap came on my jaw. I stood on the sidewalk, crying. "Please, let me wait until tomorrow," I begged. "No," she said. "Go now! If you come back into this house without those groceries, I'll whip you!" What does this scene show about his mother? How has his relationship with her changed?

"They b-beat m-me," I gasped. "They t-t-took the m-money." I started up the steps, seeking the shelter of the house. "Don't you come in here," my mother warned me. I froze in my tracks and stared at her. "But they're coming after me," I said. "You just stay right where you are," she said in a deadly tone. "I'm going to teach you this night to stand up and fight for yourself." She went into the house and I waited, terrified, wondering what she was about. Presently, she returned with more money and another note; she also had a long heavy stick. "Take this money, this note, and this stick," she said. "Go to the store and buy those groceries. If those boys bother you, then fight." I was baffled. My mother was telling me to fight, a thing that she had never done before. "But I'm scared," I said. "Don't you come into this house until you've gotten those groceries," she said. "They'll beat me; they'll beat me," I said. "Then stay in the streets; don't come back here!" I ran up the steps and tried to force my way past her into the house. A stinging slap came on my jaw. I stood on the sidewalk, crying. "Please, let me wait until tomorrow," I begged. "No," she said. "Go now! If you come back into this house without those groceries, I'll whip you!" What does this scene show about his mother? How has his relationship with her changed?