Charles Bukowski - American author

I was rereading Ham on Rye, I'm at the part where he is mowing the lawn for the first time. His father is very cruel, I think it's funny every time Chinaski would tell him, I'll kill you. I don't know if these experiences were at all exaggerated, like Buk getting hit in the leg with a 2x4 to continue mowing..
I wonder, why the hell didn't he just run away? That shit seemed hellish, and his pop crazy.