I feel like there's a story to tell about poor white kid who's "sharp as a tack" and/or "creative" who started working as soon as (s)he could, to supplement a single parent income, and ends up being a single parent, too. And how life closes a lot of doors when you're poor or middle class.

And how life gives other gifts, but it's never too late to open the ones you didn't think you could get to keep.

I wanted the teacher to be a closeted lesbian, too, btw.