A recovering alcoholic, Johnny, saves a homeless alcoholic, Nicholas, from a beating and arrest over a shoplifting incident in a grocery store. Seeing more in the man than merely a drifter, John takes him in and listens to his story. What happens next is an examination of self, others, and real friendship. The title itself is not only a list of items shoplifted but also recalls a more historical sense of bondage. The novella reads almost like a flashback confession on a police drama. The author includes more details that would usually appear in a simple recollection and manages to describe a crime that was committed out of compassion. The story carries several morals and complexities that may take more than a simple reading to find.
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