They go to hockey games with their Cub Scout pack, eight-year-olds junked up on soda filling tiny bladders, with dads who just wanna watch the game can you sit still we’ll go to the bathroom when the period’s over so they sit unable to enjoy the game because they want to burst and they’re not sure what they’re watching in any case because this is the first time they’ve seen hockey since dad’s usually not around to lace up and play or sit down and watch TV so when the period ends dad looks down and then they’re both looking down and, as if for the first time, they see it’s too late, it’s always too late

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They have paper routes and save money and buy albums and T-shirts and concert tickets and gifts for girls and they return the gifts to the store when the girls say they don’t wanna go out anymore. Credit: Boston Public Library
They have paper routes and save money and buy albums and T-shirts and concert tickets and gifts for girls and they return the gifts to the store when the girls say they don’t wanna go out anymore. Credit: Boston Public Library