From The Diary of Trevor

I saw this weird thing on the news a couple of days ago. This little kid over in England who had this, like...condition. Nothing hurts him. Every time they showed a shot of him, he was wearing a crash helmet and elbow pads and knee pads. 'Cause I guess he would hurt himself. I mean, why wouldn't he? How would he know?

First I thoughts, Whoa. Lucky. But then I wasn't that sure.

When I was little I asked my mom why we have pain. Like, what's it for? She said it's so we don't stand around with our hands on a hot stove. She said it's to teach us, But she said by the time the pain kicks in, it's pretty much too late, and that's what parents are here for. And that's what she's here for. To teach me. So I don't touch the hot stove in the first place.

Sometimes I think my mom has that condition, too. Only on the inside where nobody sees it but me and maybe Loretta and definitely Bonnie. Except, I know she hurts. But she still has her hand on that hot stove. On the inside, I mean. And I don't think they make helmets or pads for stuff like that.
I wish I could teach her.

As I said, I'm only 100 pages into the novel and I haven't thought enough about it yet. But I like books which show how bright kids really are. Kids can see things that we, as adults, somehow forget to. They are more observant and wise than most of us give them credit for.

Anyhow, today's except comes from Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde.