The inspiration for the short story “Redistribution of Wealth” comes from all of those who are forced to suffer in silence. Powerless to deal with ill-treatment and abuse at the hands of those in control. Sometimes the oppression is all-consuming. And sometimes events take place that result in a shift in that dynamic.

Danny Farina, his slightly older sister, and his parents live in a bad neighborhood. The kind where gambling and prostitution are the town’s biggest industries, and most teenagers work running numbers rather than flipping burgers. Danny goes to school, does his homework, and looks away as the drug deals happen all around him. And he was part of the set stage to those who ran the rackets. They didn’t fear him because they knew he would never speak out. And they were right. Danny and his family lived lives of “quiet desperation” as described by Thoreau. A life in which they repress the horrors around them, and work for too little money in an environment that suppresses their every good instinct. And Danny would have honored that role had those in charge not made the mistake of coming after his family. The horror and fear that the family was subjected to called out to Danny for a reckoning. Then he began careful planning and the ultimate attempt at vengeance. The story calls out to the imbalance of power in so many worlds today. To those who are entitled to live large, who abuse others as they see fit, and have no expectation of accountability. Yet sometimes the underdog can make that accountability a reality, and we can celebrate with him when that happens. I think you’ll enjoy the insights and direction of this short story. Please let me know!