The short story "On the Sidewalk Bleeding" describes a boy named Andy who is stabbed and left bleeding on a sidewalk. As he lies injured, Andy experiences three realizations that mark his transition from childhood to adulthood. First, he sheds his previous ignorance and gains knowledge about the harsh realities of the world. Second, his idealistic views give way to realism. Finally, his selfishness transforms into selflessness as he thinks not of himself but of others around him. These three revelations change Andy's perception of himself and the world as he undergoes his coming-of-age experience while injured on the sidewalk.