Truth?

I attended a meeting today. Meetings are not unusual in my line of work, but today, a young man had been called to speak a some authority figures in his life and explain a recent incident.
It seems that in the time prior to this meeting this young man's mother was present. However, in the moments before the meeting she left, only to call later to say that she would not return for this meeting.
Despite being caught in the act, this young man portrayed innocence with a cool resolve. Too cool for someone so young. It quickly became obvious to me that this young man was accustom to his own truth, which may be different from anything the facts can prove.
I felt an overwhelming sadness for this lad. The sadness was not borne of the absence of support at this serious meeting, but the lack of a guiding influencer who could provide for this child a role model for real truth.
Who knows what potential this child has? Who knows what path his life with take? What is known is that it will take the love and concern of an adult to help him learn the value of truth.