Page:The Art of Helping People Out of Trouble (1924).pdf/146

 antagonism, a law of human nature which every one recognizes in the abstract, but which few observe when the emotional outburst is directed against them or when it is their part to listen to it.

Another important phase of interpretation consists in showing what might be called the average expectation of human beings. This was what Mrs. Cavallo needed to know in order to understand her son, Tony, who ran away from home one day taking with him twenty dollars which she had set aside for the payment of the rent.

"Tony no good—too bad," Mrs. Cavallo complained. "I treat him right. I give him clothes. I give him money for lunches. I give him car-fare."

"That's just the trouble," explained the social worker. "You give him only the money he has to have. You must remember Tony is growing up. He wants a good time, wants to do as other boys of his age do. He sees other boys going to the movies and he wants to go too."

Mrs. Cavallo raised another objection.

"I sit here. I sew all day, all night. He stay out nights, no come in."

"How late?" asked the social worker.

"Sometimes half-past nine, sometimes ten o'clock."