Their two faces -- the woman's so careworn, old before her time, and the boy's so innocent, aware only of his need for his mother in that moment -- have pretty much broken my heart this evening. I hope against hope that mother and son had many happy, carefree times together in spite of their economic plight.

The years have taken their toll on this hardworking mother, but there’s clearly nothing submarginal about the connection to her little fellow.