Alleyway

       "Sleep young boy, sleep. Please sleep peacefully. Free your mind of worldly disarray for you are but a young boy. Children should be carefree, untainted, innocently ignorant. Do not fret beautiful son; by our power it falls night and children must rest. Clear your mind," pleaded the gods of good dreams to the young boy below.
       The boy, lets call him Bobby, fought with the frayed floral sheets and wrestled his 'hand-me-down' pillow to-and-fro in desperate attempts to fall asleep. His face was repeatedly irritated by a damn cigarette burn left on the top sheet by grandpa before he died.
       "Why, for Heaven's sake doesn't mommy buy me some new sheets? Then maybe I would sleep better," thought Bobby as he wrenched himself into a corner.
       Bobby wasn't really bothered by the sheets, at least that's not why he lost sleep. Faces connected with voices haunted the boundaries of his decade old mind. Symbolism of that insidious Shakespeare sonnet. Everyone he knew in this world was angry. Angry at someone or something usually for no apparent reason. "Why are all the grown ups so mad, did I do something wrong?", pondered the sad boy.
       (The gods congregated at a designated spot on the sun. They discussed the boy's problem.)
       "If this boy continues to feel the pain and anger of the problems of people much older than he; problems that are not meant for him, it may not only affect his sleep but his future mental and physical well being may be in great jeopardy."
       "I agree, said the other god, "it's not fair that an innocent child, such a sweet soul, should have such emotional unrest for other mortal's misdirected anger and ignorant hatred ... it may one day destroy him."
       "Yes, but,"
       "Quiet!", interrupted another god, "are you all to be so foolish? Humans and gods may not interact for any purpose. We may send signs at most, but to interact physically or mentally would be more devastating than letting human nature takes its course on the boy.
       "Fair or not. He does seem a bit more remarkable than the average mortal I agree. However, time and pain and experience may weather his physical self but it will expand his wisdom and give him a bit of character. This boy will rightfully earn his. This I guarantee."