He knew about expectations.

Hell, they’d made him what he was.

Back home, everybody’d expected him to be somethin’ special.

Someone important.

He’d expected it too.

Had gone out into the verse expectin’ it to fall inta his hand.

But the expectations he’d lived with were different from the doc’s.

Much as he hated to admit, even if only in his own head…he felt sorry for the doc.

Didn’t make him like him more.

He was still a stuck up piece of gos se.

But he kinda understood the man cuz of it.

The expectations he’d lived with, aside from his own stupid one, were all softer.

The doc’s parents sounded like cold machines.

Expecting this or that of their son.

Hell lookit how they ignored how Moonbrain was hurtin!

If’n his Ma had been told that someone was hurtin one a’ her babies.

Even if she didn’t believe it herself, she’d check jus’ to be sure.

But they way they jus’ ignored the doc, and his fears for his sis’

Well they was cold customers.

Everybody’d expected great things of him back home.

But they loved even though he didn’t do what they expected him to do.

Somehow, he didn’t think the doc’s folk would’ve forgave him for failing.

Not like his own folk have.

A’ course his folk don’t think he failed.

His Ma says he jus’ choose to follow a different path.

He’s still someone special in their eyes and always will be.

But he can’t help but thinkin’ that the Doc’s folk are ashamed a’ him.

Kinda makes him wish he could meet’ um in a dark alley somewhere…

Cuz his own Ma is proud a’ the Doc.

Says he’s a good man.

One as has done great things.

And instead a’ being jealous of the Doc, all he can feel is sorry for him.

All the verse can see as how he’s exceeded all expectations of greatness.

And all his folks can see is how he’s failed theirs.

The stupid hun dan.