In his essay, Someone Else, Offutt describes himself as “free,” “vulnerable,” and a “lonely child.” His parents only cared about his "academic grades", leaving him alone in the world at the age of fourteen. The abuser provided for her in a way her parents did not. “The Fatman listened to me,” Offutt says, “he offered me a kind of sympathy and attention that I needed.” (140). Through Offutt's eyes, the "fat man" gave him everything his parents never did: attention, sympathy, candy and movie theater popcorn. Offutt was looking for affection to replace the emptiness he felt. He writes that his parents are "used to his absences", and therefore did not notice what was happening to their son. (140). Again, lack of attention and protection from their parents pushed the boys into such a situation. His parents trusted him to take care of himself and Lopez's mother trusted Shier to take care of her.