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Larry, Theo’s father, is morally bankrupt. He suffers from feeling inadequate—in his marriage to Audrey, in his career as an actor, and in life in general. To ease his pain and insecurities, Larry turns to alcohol and drugs and starts an affair while still married to Audrey. When even these behaviors can’t ease his feelings of inadequacy, Larry simply abandons his wife and son and takes off with his girlfriend to start a new life in Las Vegas. When Larry suddenly reappears in Theo’s life after Audrey’s death, it seems like the tragedy has stirred some paternal feelings and he may be trying to reconnect with Theo. Soon, however, it’s clear that Larry is only out for Larry; he wants Theo’s money to pay off his gambling losses, more failure Larry does his best to avoid. Larry isn’t all bad, however. He treats Boris kindly, sharing his home and clothing with him. However, he’s weak, and even while claiming to be raising Theo, he tries to steal the money that Audrey saved for Theo’s education and tries to open a line of credit with Theo’s social security number. Larry isn’t necessarily a violent man, but his desperation causes him to strike out when he feels cornered. For example, when Theo resists calling Audrey’s lawyer, Larry hits Theo and threatens to break his arm.

Previous section James “Hobie” Hobart

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