Every day, they look at me. It doesn't matter who. I see their sideways glances and I hang my head in shame.

Because I am different, I am condemned.

I can't buy more that fifty papes and expect to sell them without crying and pleading and lying something fierce.

Because I am different, I am ostracized.

When I walk up to someone, they avert their eyes from mine when they say hello. When I was a child I cried in the night because I thought everyone hated me.

Because I am different, I am ignored.

I can't talk to girls. Because whenever I say anything, they look at my face and see that I'm not as handsome as the guy next to me-usually it's Mush, my best friend, my muscled, ladies' man of a friend. I love Mush- platonically-but sometimes I wish he just wasn't so built, or so attractive, or so generally nice.

Because I am different, I have serious problems in my love-life.

When I see my family, walking by my old house on the dingiest Skid Row in the city, I cringe and turn away. I'm ashamed to see them. Because I know they'll give me the same looks everyone else does and they'll say, word for word, "I'm so sorry it had to be you, Michael."

Because I am different, I am unloved by even my family.

I'm being unfair, to Mush especially. He can't help being cute, but somehow I can't bottle my jealousy inside, and every once in a while it bursts out. I know it hurts him when I say things like that. And I know he hates it when I get suicidal-he says they're just girls, and I shouldn't make a big deal of it. He says I'll find the right girl someday.

Because I am different, I have no soul mate.

When I sit up at night, unable to sleep because I'm afraid someone will see what I don't want them to, sometimes I hear Mush crying.

And I want to go to him, but because I am different, I can offer no consolation.

His enemies take different forms from mine. I would not understand. I would be of no help, no use-the way I can help no one with anything.

Because I am different, blind in one eye, mutated at birth, people stare at me in the streets.

Because I am different, blind in one eye, people judge me prematurely.

Because I am different, blind in one eye, they call me Kid Blink.