I especially like the idea of the picture of his mother that he found and decided was a picture of his mother, so sad but so hopeful, that he decided to create a family for himself out of someone else’s trash.

Great read! I agree with someday_93 – the reference to Joe created a family from someone else’s discarded trash was very powerful.

The last sentence, though. I can’t decide if it fit, or if it didn’t. Early on, you mention that Old Joe is crazy as a bat – that last sentence certainly would indicate that. In any case, well done!

Spoiler alert

The last sentence is a consequence of the second to last, I kept very vague because I wanted to stay in Joe’s mindset, but the word ransom might ring a bell