A Normal Kid
by Robert Lewis Vaughan

THE STORY: Perry, an aspiring artist, learns that he’s been hired to illustrate a children’s book while feeding the squirrels in Madison Square Park.

This dream come true via text message prompts him to put the pieces of his life together—how did he get here from there?

He remembers the day his abusive father went too far, causing him to run away from home.

He remembers the help he received as a runaway, specifically from TJ, the young hustler who saved him from that life.

He remembers Davey and Joyce, the people who took him in and helped him.

And he remembers the night he saw his picture on the side of a milk carton, forcing him to go home, where his mother had finally started getting herself together—all of which shaped him and put him on the path to the successful life he now leads.