Chapter 2, Good Times Summary and Analysis

Before the abuse began, Dave believed his family was the 'Brady Bunch' of the 1960s. The family lived in a modest, two bedroom home in Daly City, a small community outside San Francisco, where Dave's father was a fireman. Dave could never remember what his mother looked like, but he could remember her glow of love for her children. Dave also remembered when he was four or five, and his mother told her children she was sick. Then, Mother went and painted the garage steps red and covered them in a rubber mat before the paint was dry. Dave never understood why she did that.

Dave remembered his mother was a clean fiend. Mother always cleaned the house extremely well, making the boys help by keeping their rooms clean. Mother was also a wonderful gardener. Dave also...