Connecting Knowledge and Research

Meet Ray. Age 13 to 16

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Meet Ray. Age 13 to 16 Program Transcript

NARRATOR: Ray's mother Mary dies of a heart attack when Ray is 14. Ray is

devastated and retreats further into himself. He begins to experiment with his father's

alcohol and likes how it makes him forget.

His father George goes from aggressive and argumentative to complacent after Ray's

mother dies. He doesn't care what I do, says Ray, who walks to the local park and

drinks and smokes at night. On one occasion, a police officer on patrol escorts him

home and warns that if he is out drinking in public again, he will be fined. Ray does so

again and is fined $500. When he tells the officer he can't pay, he is instead enrolled in

an alcohol-awareness class and mandated community service.

A year goes by, and due to the loss of income from Mary's death, he and George have

to move to subsidized housing in a different part of town. At this point, they are living on

Social Security and disability income. Ray signs up for a woodworking class at his new

high school, remembering how his father used to make household items with wood

scraps. The teacher sees promise in him and mentors Ray in woodworking and

cabinetmaking outside of class.

At the same time, Ray becomes interested in dating girls, but he is self-conscious about

his weight. He starts working out at the school gym. Meanwhile, he clashes with George

at home. He sees his father as useless because he hangs around the apartment and

drinks and smokes all day watching TV. Ray has to make dinner for himself, clean, and

so forth. He also has to get a part-time job.

One night, Ray says under his breath, I wish you had died and not Mom.