It was important to look confident, he realized that very early on. After all, there was a terrible tendency among adults to look at children travelling alone as if they were planning a crime of some sort. None of them ever thought that it might just be a young chap on his way to see the world and have a great adventure. They were so small minded, grown-ups. That was one of their many problems.
"It was important to look confident," he understood early on, recognizing that appearing self-assured was essential when traveling alone as a child. Adults often misjudged children who ventured solo, suspecting wrongdoing instead of seeing a young person seeking adventure and new experiences. This tendency reflected their narrow-mindedness and inability to see the world through a child's eyes.
He believed that grown-ups' perceptions were flawed, failing to appreciate the innocent intentions of children exploring the world. Their constant suspicion and lack of understanding highlighted a broader problem of adult perspectives, which often underestimated or misunderstood children's motives and dreams.
