At first, Kats thought the sideshow guests were funny, something to snicker about later with his friends down on the beach, but as he matured, and they kept coming back to the hotel each year, Kats soon came to empathize with them. Seeing the world through the eyes of “freaks,” understanding their humanity, feeling the warmth of their goodwill toward him, added to what Kats had learned from his father about treating others with compassion.
