Him and Cesar's relationship probably wouldn't have been ruined because Hank would have seen the warning signs and walked away. He would have been more vigilant rather than turning a blind eye to Cesar's questionable activities. Such as Cesar's extensive drug use, plethora of illegal weapons, and admission of selling them on the black market. Hank, if he had been more independent, would have had the foresight to see that this was a bad situation and would have been strong enough to get out of it, but instead Hank was motivated by his need and dependency. Hank's lack of decision-making ability led him to have little control or choice over his life and the events that occurred. Lack of dependence and choice were the two main defining characteristics of poverty, as recounted by Vollman. Hanks' dependence on people led him to become poor by choice, which with little to no choice he was forced to become increasingly dependent on the people around him, which mirrors and affirms Vollmann's perspective of poverty as a circle vicious and shows just how poor Hank really wasn't because of finances but because of circumstances and his inability to be independent that ultimately made him a choice