Caitlin finally receives Martin’s letter and is astonished to see that it is written on trash. In the letter, Martin relays his struggles to return to school and the conditions that have befallen his family. Caitlin is in disbelief, since every youth is required to attend school in the US. The thought that there may be people who do not even have school as an immediately-available option in some countries is new to her. When she relays the news of Martin’s conditions to her parents, they reassure her that Martin is a “smart boy” (106) and that he will be back in school eventually. However, Caitlin is not reassured. Wracked with concern, her grades in school slip.

When Caitlin sits down to write her letter to Martin, she thinks of a dozen questions to ask him but refrains from asking too many so as not to overwhelm him. She encloses a $20 bill from her babysitting job that she had earned over the summer. She hopes that the money may help him and his family out. She does not tell her parents that she has sent Martin money.