三月初，又一个社会工作者来跟我道别。在过去的这些年里，洛杉矶郡陆续派了几十个男男女女的社会工作者来看我，她是这其中的最后一个。她正式告诉我：“六个月后，你将不受洛杉矶郡的管束。解放是指孩子摆脱该郡的管束而获得合法权利的司法法令。”她声音柔和，说：“这真正的意味着你已经长大成人，是你离开列奥纳多家的时候了。”

    "Okay," I answered.

    “好吧，”我回答说。

    "You'll need to pack your clothes."

    “你需要整理你的衣服。”

    She began discussing college, recommending that since I was interested enough to have already applied to several schools, I should seriously consider state schools. If I attended one, she said, "the county would pay for your tuition and help with almost everything else too. I don't know if the Leonards mentioned that to you."

    她开始谈大学的事情 ......