"But weird shit is what it is all about. How can you be interesting without saying weird shit continually. It is impossible." "Do I have to take care of both of those dogs out there?" "I don't know. I guess someone will have to. We'll make it a joint chore. We'll share the burden and make the dogs feel loved and happy here. What do you say?" "I say that is a crock of bull shit." Her mind was preoccupied with this declaration of being called weird. "I'm not weird. I'm just clever. What is weird are moms whose brains change into rocks — probably from too many years of marriage." "When I was in the second grade kids would say that you catch men outside your trailer, put spells on them, and then you drink their pee." She looked at his earnest face. "Really? Is that what they said." "Yeah." "Why didn't you tell me that then." "I didn't want to hurt your feelings." "Oh, how sweet." She felt visibly touched that he should have thought of her feelings over those of his own. She felt more optimistic about him growing up into a decent individual. "Anyhow, I will be going someplace — maybe back to Bangkok…who knows… anywhere really from Tokyo to Tijuana." "Without me?" "Probably." "I don't care where you go. Betty's here to take care of me. She's a better mother, really." "Even if she takes up all the toilet paper you want to use on your precious butt?" "Even then," he said. They heard the dog barking, an opening of the door, and a rush of footsteps. "It's the favored one," said Nathaniel. Rick rushed against Gabriele's body and this physical presence made her feel a sense of aversion to the boy. As much as she cared for him his grip was like a monkey upon her bark. Her niveous limbs just stood out awkwardly and she did not know what to do. But where thawing caused snow and ice to crack and fall to the ground, her thawing was a cold chill that caused her legs to begin to shake. Her arms embraced him in the desperate clinging of love and she began to cry. It was the first time she had cried since she was a little girl. It was the first time she had ever cried according to her memory.