Drugs cause irreparable harm in Maurice’s family. His mother spends most of her short life trying to get clean and is only able to just before getting diagnosed with AIDS. All of Maurice’s uncles participate in the distribution of drugs. Drug dealers cause chaos and violence in the welfare motel where he lives. When he is out on his own, Maurice realizes that he could sell drugs to make enough to have food and lodging, but he opts against this. Instead, he gets a job as a courier. Maurice’s regular date with Schroff gives him a reason to avoid drugs and this certainly saves his life.

In turn, Schroff identifies with Maurice’s unstable home dynamic because her father was an abusive alcoholic. Both Schroff and Maurice lived through traumatic experiences that resulted from drug and alcohol abuse within their families. However, Schroff’s family had better financial means. Although she does not recognize this connection right away, Schroff later realizes the ease in which she extended help and care to Maurice, due in part to her own childhood. Similarly, both Schroff and Maurice’s mother did not have a support system, resulting in both women staying within their unhealthy environments. Marie is unable to leave Nunzie, just as Darcella is unable to leave a life that includes drug abuse.