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The story begins with this line, and it pretty much sums up the book.
If you cant speak of life with a smile, then you havent lived.
If you like epics then this is one for you, if not then hit up some other mans book. This cat was born out of wedlock to a lesbian mother who had sex with her gay best friend. By the time his mother found out she was pregnant she had adopted a little 3 year old girl from st. vincent with her lesbian partner (whom she had just gotten back together with). The controversy sparked by the pregnancy through the lesbian and gay community (yes they are actually seperate for those who don't know) swept through the small city of london ontario. During that period contact was lost with his father triggerred by the bankruptcy of his mothers work and the necessity to move (and change phone numbers) while his father was out of the country. By the time the little boy was two he showed frustration with whatever he couldnt do, biting himself when he couldnt walk. But otherwise was full of love for everyone in his surroundings, and brought happyness to wherever he was. At age four one of the room-mates in the house he was being raised in married his mother to try and give him a father figure, this fell through however after a catastrophic episode of two month long repeated sexual assault and then rape with his father figures nephews (age 13 and 15). The police were uninterrested in what had happened, and put the two teens on a watching list, one of them was arrested years later for assaulting numerous boys after being found raping one by a school yard, the other joined the army. The little boy's family was pretty much torn apart at that point, when the room-mate abandoned his mother and him to be in his famillies defence. The little boy's older brother had moved back in with them during that period after being put up for adoption and living with foster parents (since his mother was only 17 when she had him and the authorities had meddled with her insecurities)--anyways he was back, then he left with his little brothers stepdad (who was also gay). Social problems ensued, and therapy began at the age of four, hence the deepness of the little boys analytical mind. School problems became regular, due to the little boys growing authority issues, and his frustration with not being the leader of everything he was in. Trust issues I suppose are rooted all the way back to there. He got baptized catholic when he was like 5 too, out of his own choice, cause he was in the choir down the street before he could even read. He was in love with music, and when he moved to Toronto at age six he spent alot of his time listenning to classical, and old jungle/house/rap dj tapes his mother had made during her years working at clubs. As a little boy he frequented clubs and would dance all night while his mom worked the bar, no joke. The growing up period of the book includes many more antics of his love for people, fumbling because of his lack of trust for anyones ability to be as capable as him. It also includes every type of problem that western children deal with, violence, sexism, homophobia, racism, poverty--all of which were the product of his pride in his family. Eventually lil dude ended up in a group home for a year, came out did highschool, gang relations, disrespect to the wackest who swarm. Graffiti wars, rap music, crushes, love affairs, hate, passion, arguments, triumph.
In the end this is a story about a boy who has survived and come out stronger through everything, through rape, homophobia, sexism, racism, violent surroundings, poverty, bullshit education systems that dont even relate to the places there in, friendships and lack thereof, music, stereotyping cause dude is white, group homes, government child thiefs, gang relations, graffiti wars, family struggles, therapy for years.
Out of it comes the formation of a man who you'd be wrong to say couldn't relate to anyone who has had an honest struggle of a life, the true modern man. Perhaps if he had trusted one of the many people who tried to make him their child prodigy because of his off the chart IQ he wouldn't have struggled so badly, but everything he has he's earned and will continue to earn. In the end this story really displays how infinite potential really is, and how many people cut themselves short when it comes to life.
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