Johnny's behavior doesn't fit his age. The actor playing Johnny was 14. Oddly, Johnny couldn't read most of the words on the DMV card (Susie's 'elephant registration' card), his mother gave him marbles for his birthday, he believed they could afford an *elephant* despite their dire financial situation, and when offered $2 for Susie he said he wouldn't even take $5. Those behaviors don't align with a normal intelligence child of 14.