How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
If that Greaser Charles was Mrs. Worthington's cousin then I was a monkey's uncle. When grown-ups lie to kids they don't even try very hard. They think we're too dumb to know the difference. (4.64)
Victor can see through all of the lies that adults tell him—especially when he runs into that strange man at Mrs. Worthington's house. Dude doesn't even try to hide the fact that he's not supposed to be there and that Mrs. Worthington is probably cheating on her husband with him. He totally underestimates Victor's ability to see the situation clearly.
Quote #5
Ara T would have to knock off from his junk collecting sometime and I could follow him at least until it got dark and maybe get to see where he kept his cart. He had to keep it somewhere at night. If he wasn't going to give me back my knife then I might be able to come up with a way to take it when he wasn't around. (4.69)
Victor decides to fight fire with fire. If Ara T is going to steal from him, then Victor's going to find out where he keeps his stash and steal the knife back. That's only fair, right?
Quote #6
I can't lie very well when there are a lot of words to say or things to explain.
If I could have told her the truth I would have said that my mind was bouncing back and forth between Mrs. Worthington and Greaser Charles and Ara T and Mr. Spiro the way the pinball in the machine at Wiles Drug Store bounces off all the different colored lights. The pinball wouldn't stop. (4.95-96)
It's not that Victor wants to lie to Mam and keep the truth from her. It's just that he's thinking about a lot of things in his life right now and doesn't know where to start. It's all a bit overwhelming.