Barter for Life

As a young boy, I was a lot like Donny Milton. We inherited my grandfather's old home and all of his belongings and I felt like a kid in the candy store going through all of that old stuff. When Donny is going through the boxes in the basement of their new home, I could actually see myself going through them.
Is it too far fetched to believe that our parent's would barter for our very lives? In present day America, I don't think so. The bigger question is: How would you feel if your own mom told you that she 'used' to love you?