As with most groups of children, there were subtle differences in economic status. Donny's father, for example, worked in the naval shipyard and was subject to being laid off during certain months of the year. David's father worked some mysterious shift at a factory - we seldom saw him except during weekends. His mother and father were hard-pressed to buy new clothes for a brood of five brothers and two sisters, the largest family on the block. Nobody understood, as a result of all the children and his father's alcoholism, that Robert came from the poorest family on the block.
Kids can be cruel like that.
Lonnie was an only child, plus, he was the only member of our group without a father living at home. One Christmas Day, my brother and I invited Lonnie over to play with our toys. The hot toy that year was a GI Joe combat unit with multiple weapons and uniforms. Lonnie didn't bring any of his Christmas presents over to play with, which seemed strange, but we figured he was just being stingy, keeping the best toys to himself. All afternoon, we set up battle stations and acted out fierce fighting scenarios.