Boys to Men in 0 to 60

I was on the train last night on the way home from critical thinking class. A boy gets on - very child like features. I only notice dhim because he looks similar to my son. Same complexion, dark hair - It is what I imagine my 9 year old looking like as he transforms from child to pre-teen. One minute does not pass before I am again immersed in my paintball 2 game on my stupid-phone (a/k/a Palm smartphone). What I hear next is harsh, vulgur, just plain ugly. It is conversation between two teenage boys. "Fuck this son - no I don't live with my dad I live wit my step dad - oh shit that nigga is tappin yo mom's ass - so what bitch I don't care - yo son w efucking lost b - fuck that - shut teh fuck up" and this went on for about 10 minutes. I looked up to see what stop we were at and realized the boy I notice dgetting on tehtrain earlier - who couldn't have been more than 12 was one of the boys having this exchange of fuck-yous and yo sons with a"friend". I quote friends because I often thought at that age that someone was my friend when in reality they were just there for a fleeting moment. As Professor Evans pointed out - people are in our lives or we have relationships at certain times because we need them at that time and I believe some people are really in our lives only for a season. I was upset that this boy that reminded me so much of my son was already so tainted. It was 8:00 at night - why was he on a train without a parent. he should have been home getting ready for bed, the next school day ahead. I felt sad for him - I don't know why, but I felt for just him and not his friend. Maybe because I did think of my son. It was so ironic that these kids were trying so hard to be what they thought was grown yet in between stops they marveled at how longteh train was and how cool it was when it turned a corner to be able to see the other cars - like children watching a toy electric train going around a track. I knew when that boy said he didn't care about his Moms getting "tapped" by his step dad that he really did. When the train passed a certain stop he exclaimed to his friend that if he got off there he could go to his Dad's house. It was almost as if he longed to go there but didn't want to give a fuck at the same time. So is this boy considered abandoned and where do we draw the line? Does someone have to go as far as the woman in the news story did and leave a baby in a closet? Women "leave" their kids everyday for a man. Is it because someone left them and they are so desperately seeking that love? I think so. I wanted so bad for that boy's cell phone to ring and hear him explaining to his worried mother that he was just a little lost and would be home in a few minutes but he was ok, but his phone never rang and before the last stop they got off and disappeared into the night.