Phillip was a small boy, about 8 years old, who lived a lonely life in an orphanage. After his parents died when he was young, his guardians had given him up.
For years Phillip had wished for a family of his own. But as he watched other boys get adopted and taken away, he wondered if it would ever happen to him.
He just wanted someone to love him. How hard was that? Sure, he wasn't adorable, but he wasn't ugly either.
The orphanage was a sad place. The woman in charge wasn't a slave driver, but she didn't show much warmth. Phillip frequently heard other boys crying themselves to sleep.
As he lay up thinking about all this in bed, he saw a bright star out of the corner of his eye. Phillip sat up. He'd never been superstitious, but he was desperate.