Poor Teen's Struggle

Posted by Charles Langley in English 2 · Pahomov · C Band on Monday, November 20, 2017 at 7:11 pm

Hey mom. Why did I get home so late? I was out. Where? I was at shoprite and got some apples, doritos, and cheetos. My receipt? I don’t have one.

Yes mom, I did steal that food. You want me to tell you why? I stole that food because I’m hungry and we’re poor. I stole that food so we can all eat. I stole that food because there are some days where I wake up and there is no food to eat. I STOLE that food because I’m sick and tired of being the poorest student at school and being made fun of for that, so yeah mom, I did steal that food. Why do I have to return the food? They’re not going to miss the food. Well it’s not my fault I stole that food. The only person you can really blame is yourself. You would have done the same if your were in my shoes.

I know you raised me better and I know I’m your son Kahlil, but I am the same Kahlil that is a 15 year old poor kid who doesn’t even have a bed to sleep on at night. My name is Khalil and I don’t even have food in my cabinets and I have to sleep cold on the floor with no covers while there is a draft coming from the cracks in our broken down walls, in our broken down house because the heat doesn’t work. It’s not my fault that we’re poor. You want me to tell you what else I stole? I stole this Wallet! I stole it because WE NEED MONEY TO LIVE! It has three 100 dollar bills, five 20 dollar bills, a dollar bill, and a 200 dollar visa debit card. I thought that it would help with the bills you pay, and to buy food, and even buy a t.v. We are so poor, that we may as well be HOMELESS. Everytime when I go to school, I get bullied because of my cheap shirt and my cheap shoes or I get laughed at when they say I probably don’t even have a bed to sleep on which they’re right, I DON’T. I am fed up. Now leave me alone mom. I’m grounded? Why? What am I grounded for? For being poor? Am I grounded for wanting to have things that I don’t have. Is that a crime? Is being poor a crime? It’s not fair being poor and it’s not fair that I am being grounded for that. Why you calling dad? Please don’t call...

Hello sir. Yes I stole some food sir, and a wallet sir. I know my name is Khalil and I know I’m not acting like I’m your son but, it’s not my fault that I stole that man's wallet and it’s not my fault I stole some food. WE NEED MONEY! Why don’t you understand that? We need that MONEY to make sure our bathrooms work. We need that freakin MONEY so we can have electricity, and we need that MONEY so my classmates won’t make fun of me because I can’t even wash up. How are you even going to get money sir, I just got more money by stealing then you make in a freaking year. I don’t want to go to my room! Please I’m sorry sir. Don’t beat me...sir.

Comments (2)

Monie Duong

I learned that Khalil's environment has a huge impact on his life. Due to the kids at school, he got used to the idea that it's okay to steal even though his mother argues with that it is it. I also learned that he is in a abusive relationship with his father and it seems as if he tries live on his own with his mother since his father is abusive and absent. I'd say the father seems absent because he seems to not provide in the family. Also, I feel like Khalil's mother cares for him a lot but she doesn't really understand how he feels which is more of a reason for Khalil to keep stealing.

Lamar Reed

I learned that this 15 year old kid Khalil is going through the struggle man. I really like this monologue because of how you introduced how Khalil is poor and the challenges he has to go through from being poor (which includes being bullied). Another thing I liked about this is how you showed the relationship he has with his mother vs his father. He seems to have more respect and fear for his dad than his mom.