71

Mom- Mill
Dad- Cliff
Jeannette Walls- Milly

M: What happened to the stick of margarine?

J: I ate it.
M: *Gets mad*
M: I was saving it so that we could use it to butter the bread, but you guys ate all of the bread. I
was thinking of asking our neighbors if it would be possible for them to load us some flour.
J: But mom, the company turned off our gas.
M: We should have saved the margarine just in case the gas gets turned back on. Miracles
happened, you know. It was because your selfishness if we had any bread we would have to
eat it without butter.
J: --Well to me, mom didnt make sense. Maybe she wanted to eat the margarine herself.--
J: It was the only thing to eat in the whole house. I was hungry!
M: You were not supposed to say that! You broke the unspoken rule. You were not supposed to
say you were hungry!
*mom acts like shes going to slap J but she doesnt*
*mom buries her head*
M: Its not my fault youre hungry. Dont blame me. Do you think I like living like this? Do you?
*Dad walks in. Just came back from the Owl Club.*
M: How did this become my problem? Why arent you helping? You spend your whole day at
the Owl Club. You act like its not your responsibility.
D: No, its not like that. I was trying to earn money too. However, I needed cash to make it
happen. I wanted to get gold, but it isnt that easy. We could use cyanide solution, but the
problem is the money. Could you ask your mother for some money?
M: You want me to beg from my mother again?
D: Goddammit, Rose Mary! Its not like were asking for a handout. Shed be making an
investment
M: My mother is always lending us money and shes sick of it. She said if we couldnt take care
of ourselves, we could live in Phoenix in her house. Maybe we should.
D: Are you saying I cant take care of my own family?
M: Ask her.
*Dad turns to J*
J: --I wish I could tell them that I liked eating margarine. Maybe they would stop fighting, but it
would seem like Im taking dads side. So, I should not say it. I hope it would be like the other
times where they argue and stop. They would be friends again, kissing and dancing in each
others arm. But this particular argument would not stop.--
D: The paintings you are always doing is very ugly. You should get another job. You have a
teaching degree. You could work instead of sitting around on your butt all day painting pictures
no one ever wanted to buy.
M: Van Gogh didnt sell any paintings, either. Im an artist!
D: Fine. Then quit your damned bellyaching. Or go peddle your ass at the Green Lantern.
*Dad throws mom paintings out of the window.*
*Dad hangs mom onto the window*
M: Help! Hes trying to kill me.
D: Goddammit, Rose Mary, get back in here!
J: Dont hurt her,dad
*Mom gets back*
M: He tried to kill me. You father wants to watch me die.
D: I didnt push her. I swear to God I didnt. She jumped.

147
Brian: Mill
Lori: Medkao
Jeannette Walls: Milly
Erma:Cliff
*mom and dad left*
B: Do you think theyll come back?
J: Of course. (in a hesitate way because she doesnt believe it herself)
E: Brian, come here. Your britches needed mending.
*Erma drags Brian into a room*
Brian: *screams*
*J runs into the room*
J: Whats the matter?
B: Erma was going to mend the britches while Im wearing my pants. I was going to take it off
for her, but she wouldnt let me.
J: Erma you leave him alone!
E: Why you little bitch?
*Lori comes in*
J: Lori! Erma was touching Brian in a way she ought not to be. Erma said she was merely
mending Brians inseam and that she shouldnt have to defend herself against some lying
whores accusations. I know what I saw. Shes a pervert!
*Erma is going to slap J.*
L: Everybody calm down.
*Erma slaps Lori and Lori glasses flies out*
*Lori slaps back.*
*Erma and Lori keeps fighting. Grabbing each other's hair and all*
*J and Brian cheered for Lori*f

P.103
*scraggly guy with sunken cheeks climbs into the room*
SG: I just want to play a game with you. *touching J*
J: Pervert! *struggle to escape*
J: Help!
*Brian came running into the room, holding a hatchet in his hand.*
Brian: let her go, you ugly pervert!