Chapter 15 Clint: Unwanted unmiraculous miracle

Clint's point of view

From the time I was 2 years old, I was expected to help out with the preparation and maintenance of the circus… my mother had left her parents when she was 14 years old. She ran away and joined the circus, and that's when she met my father… they had me when mom was 18. Mom died giving birth to me… Dad resented me from the moment I was born until the moment he died when I was 4… the ringmaster kicked me out of the circus… we were in New York City at the time, so they sent me to an orphanage. I was fostered and returned several times… and then Howard Stark and his wife Peggy came and met me, and they decided I would be a good addition to their family… they'd wanted to give their biological son a little brother… and that was me… it was rough at first… in the orphanage I'd learned the hard way that everyone fended for themselves… Mr and Mrs Stark had different rules… they tried to teach me to read and write and count… they had me evaluated, and the experts recommended that I go to a special residential school for 'children like me' – I mouthed off

"If you mean children whose brains don't function well enough to go to mainstream school, then please, say so"

Mr and Mrs Stark persevered… but I was just too much trouble… after a particularly bad fight with Bruce and after I'd suggested it, they sent me to California for a while… to Mr and Mrs Stane… they already had a special needs child, and they thought they could handle another… within 6 months, Mr Stane had me reading, writing, counting and playing piano! Using the 3 p's… patience, praise, and practise.

Mr and Mrs Stane moved back to New York and I moved back to the Stark residence… but I'd met my soulmate. Unfortunately, like many other things in my life that blew up in my face too… but that's another story…