They Cage the Animals at Night

On the subway, Jennings asks his mother why she left him at the home, and she explains vaguely that she was sick and could not take care of everyone. She promises that she will not leave him again. They arrive home to find the house in disarray, and his mother chastises his older brother Larry for not taking better care of his younger brother Gene.

Larry and Jennings exchange stories from the past three months. Larry, who is eleven, stayed at a home and then with a friend of their mothers, Mrs. Keys. Larry misses being in Mrs. Key’s house and seems sad to be at home. Jennings’ adolescent older brothers George and Walter return home and fight with their mother. Jennings goes with his mother to pick up a food basket from the church for Christmas. They have no toys left, and Larry complains that they won’t have enough toys for Christmas. Jennings shares brief conversations with Walter and George, and George is clearly unhappy as well. George and Larry go on Christmas Eve to get a Christmas tree from the trees the salesman throws out. Jennings and Walter sing in the choir at Christmas Eve Mass at the church.