Raymond's Run

Throughout the text, Hazel “Squeaky” Parker makes it clear to readers that she is not like most other girls she knows. Squeaky distinguishes herself as unique among her peers, firstly because “I don’t have much work to do around the house like other girls” (Paragraph 1). While other girls her age are expected to help out around the house, Squeaky does not participate in any of the gendered house chores, such as cooking and cleaning. Instead, her sole responsibility is to look after Raymond, her older brother who has an intellectual disability, “which is enough” work (Paragraph 1).

One aspect of the care that Squeaky provides for her brother is dealing with “a lot of smart mouths [who] got lots to say” about Raymond’s disability (Paragraph 2). Squeaky is adamant about protecting her brother from potential bullies and insists that if anybody has anything to say to Raymond, “they have to come by me” (Paragraph 2). Unlike some other girls, Squeaky is not afraid to fight for her brother. As a personal preference, Squeaky maintains that she likes to deal with these issues head-on; instead of “standing around” and talking, she would much rather “knock you down…even if I am a little girl with skinny arms and a squeaky voice” (Paragraph 2).