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"No," he said, "I' my sister She moved her a month back and…" his voice lowered before he stopped mid-sentence

"Cat got your tongue, boy? Spit it out!"

"Things aren't really that great in the States I needed to get away, and Erin,to kill me"

"Why, you've got yourself messed in some trouble?"

"Me?" he asked, his index finger pointing to his frail chest "No sir, that kid just ran into me and tried to steal my money He pulled a knife on me"

"What were you doing in this part of town anyway?"

"Looking for a job," he said

"A job? You’re lookin’ to stay?"

"I want to stay Erin said I could as long as I enrol in school and get a job"

"So what kind of skills do you got?"

"Skills?"

"Aye boy, don't be daft What can you do? You said you're looking for work, right?"

"Not much"

"Can you use a mop and bucket," I asked

The boy looked up athis eyes I waited for hi, but all I heard was silence

"You are daft, aren't cha?"

"I-I can clean Pretty well, actually My ood at it"

"Great, I can give you work three tihts a week and Saturday But I expect you to work for yourabout"

"Great, one form of servitude to the next," the kid mumbled under his breath

"There's a difference betorking for so owned by them"

"I'm not sure if that's true," he said

"You've got a lot to learn, Lad, but today isn't the day I' to teach you Let's call your sister"

"No," he said, grabbing ht She'd lose her dao back"