Children of the Recession: Learning from Manchild in the Promised Land

If Reno was in a bad mood – if he didn't have any money and he wasn't high – he'd say, ‘Man, Sonny, they ain't go no kids in Harlem. I ain't never seen any. I've seen some real small people actin’ like kids, but they don't have any kids in Harlem, because nobody has time for a childhood. Man, do you ever remember bein’ a kid? Not me. Shit, kids are happy, kids laugh, kids are secure. They ain't scared- a nothin’. You ever been a kid, Sonny? Damn, you lucky. I ain't never been a kid, man. I don't ever remember bein’ happy and not scared. I don't know what happened, man, but I think I missed out on that childhood thing, because I don't ever recall bein’ a kid.[1]