Snake Dance by Corey Ford
Jerry, being the main character of the short story is in a situation he brought on to him self. He has been lying to his mother and father about the football team and scholarship maybe even about the frat house,But all for a good reason. Back home his father is paralyzed and his mother basically left alone to care for. Being that he is far away from home,He feels helpless. Maybe he did play for the football team and quite to continue working at the milkshake place to send money back and say it was money left over from the scholarship. He is very noble and caring. This is why he feels he has to do something for his dad and mom. Their relationship seemed close while he was speaking to his mother and that is why the mom could hear in his voice that he was homesick. I've done what Jerry is up to. I would skip school to get a little extra money helping out at a deli. My dad wasn't home anymore and I felt the obligation to bring the extra money home. My mom didn't know of this. Neither did I want her to because it would have disappointed her. This is probably Jerry's case, he doesn't want to make his parents disappointed.