An abused boy, a crippled bird, a tree that cannot flower...

It was in a tree in the backyard behind Number 44 that the blackbirds annually made their nest and soon there'd be little chicks running around making their first attempts at flying. Lennie was looking up into the tree and at first didn't see a chick lying on the ground where it had fallen after being pushed from the nest by one of its siblings or a cuckoo. It was a strange little creature with feathers that were not properly formed and a tail section that stuck out at an angle from the main body. Lennie almost stood on it, but Loretta picked it up and let it feel the wonder of love for the first time. 'Squelp!' it called and tears came into Loretta's eyes. 'Squelp for me again, little Squelper,' she said—and that was how Squelper got his name.