Summary

This section begins with Alexie considering his relationship to each of his parents. He writes, “It was easy To love my father. He always sought to appease. He was addicted to surrendering. He harmed Nobody. I don’t think he had one enemy. But my mom? She waged war on everything that moved. She indicted and convicted before she accused. She mocked oxygen and scolded gravity. And, yes, I’m aware of how much I resemble her. I’m the child with all of her vanity and rage. I’m the actor who needs and needs to take the stage And, with tender spite, seek to reassemble her" (317).

Thirteen months after their mother's death, Alexie’s sister texted him to say that her refrigerator had finally given up. As both of his sisters lived on low paying jobs and disability checks, Alexie told...