National Adult Literacy Database

April 27, 1998

Craig Cozocar

My name is Craig Cozocar. I was born in St. Catherine's Ontario. It was a little town with a lot of children. Going to school was hard for me. The parents I had liked to drink beer and fight all night long. When it was time to go to school I would be worried about my mom so I was learning nothing. I used to take my frustrations out at school. I wished school was easy for me. I left school at 12. Now I am back in school. I'm attending an upgrading program at Alberta Vocational College-Calgary. School is still hard for me. If I work on it, I will read well.

 

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The Little Boy is Crying

by Craig Cozocar

Did you walk by a street person today? It is hard not to see them when you are downtown. It looks like they are everywhere. You turn your head and look the other way. Then you think to yourself where do the people come from? You walk two more blocks and a little boy asks for a dollar for a cup of coffee. You say no and life goes on. The little boy stands on the corner of the street. It is getting cool. A man comes by, "Sir do you have a dollar?" "No," he says, "but would you like a ride?" The little boy says yes. He gets in the car. The man is talking about money. The little boy is listening to the man. I like money. The man takes the little boy home for a drink. The little boy is feeling no pain. The man turns on the TV, it is a sex movie. That"s how it all starts. When you see a little boy on the corner and cars going around and around do not look the other way, call the police. It's got to stop. The man driving around and around is a bad man. If we look the other way it is wrong. The little boy will never get the help he needs. It is not the little boy's fault. It is the way of life for a lot of the people on the street. It takes a long time to get over it. So if you think the street life is for you take a second look at yourself. It is the worst thing you could ever go through in your life.