A good title for Chapter Six of Bud, Not Buddy could be "The Kindness of Strangers." In this chapter, Bud shows up at the mission late after oversleeping, only to end up at the end of the food line and to discover that he won't be allowed to eat breakfast. He is ultimately only saved by the kindness of strangers--a married couple who pretends that he is their son, "Clarence," and manages to convince the man who manages the food line that Bud belongs to them. Because of their random act of kindness, Bud is happily fed that morning and even gets a bit of brown sugar (shared with his fake siblings) to pour over his oatmeal.
What is so significant about this moment is that these people were willing to behave generously when they were already struggling to provide for themselves. They are not egotistically trapped in their own suffering, but rather engaged in the world and in tune to the needs of others.
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