I grew up very poor.

I grew up very poor.

I was a very poor child. I ended up staying for dinner at a classmate’s house when I was thirteen. Everybody at the table continued to look at me. I was shocked to see my friend’s mother at our house when I got home from school the following day. My mother’s face was red. “We need to talk,” she said, turning to face me. I recall being completely unaware of what was happening. Ms. Allen, the mother of one of my friends, was standing by the window…