Blog 2

---T.J. often steps out of his way for others, especially for Chris Coughlin. Chris has got through a ton in his life. He started of being born addicted to crack cocaine, then his head was wrapped in Saran Wrap by his mom’s boyfriend which gave him permanent brain damage, his brother was killed in a rock climbing accident and if that isn’t enough Chris is constantly being tormented and picked on by Mike Barbour. Now you have to feel bad for Chris, how couldn’t you? Just look at his life, it’s pretty dreadful. Chris really needs a friend, someone to stand up for him, and someone to include him. That someone is T.J.! T.J. frequently steps out of his way to stand up for Chris and to stop Mike Barbour from picking on Chris. He also includes Chris and thinks of him as a friend. When T.J. was recruiting people for the swim team the first person T.J. asked to join was Chris. T.J. also fought for the swim team (especially Chris) to get letter jackets even though he wasn't getting one himself.
---“‘I just wanted to thank you’ she[Chris' aunt] says.
'For what?' [T.J. says]
'You know, for taking my nephew onto your swim team.' She looked tired, and grateful.
I say 'Hey, I need him more than he needs me. He's not going to be a bad little swimmer.'
'He's been in school twelve years' she says. 'This is the first time in eleven years anyone has paid one bit of attention to him, other than to make him drink urine out of a Seven-Up can ... '
I know all the Chris Coughlin stories. His hard times have come at the hands of teachers as well as kids, some of them not nearly as major as the Seven-Up incident, but just as devastating in the long run...
I look at his[Chris] aunt now, standing next to her beat-up Dodge Dart. She looks small and helpless, kicked by the world.
'Really,' I tell her. ' Chris could be a real swimmer if he stays with it.'
She smiles. 'He'll stay with it as long as there's somebody like you to watch over him. He says you're his hero. He'd do anything for you. It's a moment for him. He dosn't get very many moments. I just wanted to thank you.'
Before I can say another word, she is back in the Dart, driving down the road.
Man, what kind of !@#$ed-up world is this? You should have to be a lot more than decent to be a kid's hero."{Crutcher}
*note: []is not in the book it is something i wrote.
*note: ... means I left out some part of the book.
*note: !@#$ is where a swear word was in the book.
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---In the above passage from Whale Talk you see how much Chris likes T.J. for just being kind or decent as T.J. says. I think thats so cool when I read the part that Chris' aunt says that T.J. is Chris' hero. This part shows me that if your nice and step a little out of your way for someone who doent have a ton of friends that you can make a big difference in there life, and I think that is really cool. This is one of my favorite parts of the story, because it shows what a difference you can make.