The kids at the shelter were used to disappointments, and most of them gave the presents back without a fuss. But Angel Rodriguez, age five, was made of sterner stuff. He held on to his gift—a large and gorgeously plush dinosaur—for dear life.

The battle that ensued was surprisingly close considering that Angel was male, had a year on Carrie, and was used to protecting his few possessions from his siblings and friends, whereas Carrie had never been in a physical fight before. By the time the adults came racing into the dayroom, Carrie was on the ground, but she had discovered that her teeth could be used as a weapon, and Angel had dropped the dinosaur. It took several seconds for Rose and Angel's mom to separate them.

Rose was appalled. She picked up the toy and dragged Carrie to a corner. “How could you, Carrie?” she whispered. “How could you take anything away from that little boy?”

“It's mine,” Carrie sobbed as she tried to grab for the dinosaur she'd won fair and square.

“We talked about this. You agreed to give away the things you never play with—”

“I want them back!” Carrie cried. “They're mine!”

A look composed of disappointment and sorrow filled her mother's beautiful green eyes. When she spoke, her voice was disappointed and sad too. “Carrie,” she said, “Angel doesn't have a home. Before he came here he used to go to bed hungry. You've always had whatever you needed.” Then her mother said the words that she would repeat for the next thirty-three years of Carrie's life. “I expect you to be better than this, Carrie.” She handed Carrie the dinosaur. “I'm sure when you think about it you'll want to do the right thing.” And she walked away.

Carrie did want to do the right thing. And she wanted to make her mother happy. But she didn't want to give up the dinosaur. Across the room, Angel was sitting in his mother's lap. He was sucking his thumb and his mother was whispering things in his ear, trying to soothe him. Carrie looked down at her shoes. They had buckles on them, and Carrie was pretty sure those buckles would hurt if she were to kick someone really hard. The fight for the dinosaur would be won in a matter of seconds.