We leave Keith in the van working on his bag of jujubes. He’s difficult after an outing, wanting to be alone.
Marilyn, on the other hand, can’t wait to get inside, already she’s got American Idol on. Maybe it’ll improve her mood. Here’s hoping. She was foul on the trip home, hating the boots she got at Value Village. But I know the real reason for her mood is Norman, her undertaker boyfriend. He’s got some other woman pregnant. Marilyn is thirty-eight years old and having not much of a life.
Her twin Mona’s the same. We picked her up soaking wet by the side of the road. I said, “What the hell happened to you?” And she said, “Man, whenever I see a loose animal it makes me feel so weird!” So that’s Mona.
Then there’s my sister, Lena – Keith and the twins’ mother. She’s doing better now. She likes her new hospital bed. Lex, her ex, set it up in the living room using his good arm. Nothing’s the matter with Lena as far as I can tell, just wants to be the centre of attention. Well, who doesn’t? Keith’s been the centre of attention for years. I see he’s out of the van now playing by himself under the back porch light. One-person baseball using the dog’s bone as a bat and a skull painted orange as a ball.
As for me, I’m the aunt living in the basement. I go to the mirror; I look at my melancholy face. And I say to myself, Lighten up for Christ’s sake, think of something good. So here is something good. We’re not afraid of Disney anymore. The good news is Disney’s not going to put mouse ears on the Coca-Cola sign. It’s fine. Everybody’s calmed down about Disney. 