here.
sorry.
i sat next to the wrong person.
please don't look. she'll see you.
will the wedding be crowded?
how long has she known malcolm?
is that short?
i'm not going to ever get married.
why are we going then?
i thought she wasn't speaking to you.
i don't think i need them right now.
i know, but. i will wear them, i just feel like people might think it's weird that a kid is wearing dark shades.
i don't need them right now.
do they know we're here?
i guess.
they might come later.
okay.
showers. what about you?
so, you're kind of famous.
yes.
yes.
okay.
yeah, i really like her.
in what way?
no.
are you stoned, mom?
i don't like it.
sorry.
oh.
mom, i'm sorry. jesus.
we're in the middle of it.
no.
can you do it, mom?
no, now.
what's she doing now?
you were great on the way up.
i am not.
no, she said she had aspergers.
no, it's like lesser retarded.
you mean child add.
mom, she was psychotic.
has that happened before?
is that dick koosman?
what's he doing with mom?
i think about a hundred. they bank at chase.
no. they're middle class.
i think just middle. claude watches: malcolm scurries around the side of the vogler house holding a dead mole by its tail. he stumbles, recovers and flings the animal at the front door. he races back toward his property.
okay.
go!
good.
no. pauline hits the far wall with her palm and flips around. margot stops short and follows her sister. they're neck and neck. their arms cut in and out of the water.
no.
pauline wins!
mom cheated. you didn't touch the wall!
i'm sorry i laughed about the tree.
hm? a bit.
uh huh.
uh huh.
i stink.
underarm deodorant?
i'm not going to die from underarm cancer.
testicles.
yeah.
what does that mean?
she got into harvard early.
where did you go again?
we're just friends.
where are you going?
are kids coming?
alan and toby.
i don't know if bruce is gay.
your mom is pregnant.
she is.
she told my mom. but you can tell - - she's hormonally weird.
who cares.
i don't know.
she won't.
what was that?
i just want to keep it.
i don't know if it's the same thing.
no.
my mom bleaches it.
i don't want to do that.
because it's pointless.  claude hears footsteps creak downstairs. he goes to the door and peers out: pauline and malcolm, a little disheveled and dirty, climb the stairs. neither speaks. malcolm goes into the hall bathroom. pauline into their room. running water groans through the old pipes.
you're starting to annoy me.
i didn't think you came home.
can't josh and dad come to the wedding?
can i sleep in here?
we can put a pillow between us.
hey. margot starts and shoves the drawer shut.
uh huh.
malcolm's not a loser.
he's cool.
what's the forum?
she was in a cult?
wizard! we move past him, obscured by grass, pauline and ingrid yell:
you didn't let him go out into the road or something where something could've happened to him?
i just.  i'm just making sure.
i didn't mean on purpose, i just meant maybe in case. you knew something. i'm sorry.
dad!
i didn't get into stuyvesant.
i'd rather stay at packer, but it's so expensive.
i guess so.
did you give him confusing change?
dogs usually come back, i think.
he went to vermont.
i don't think he could.  i think he couldn't. you want to see me dance?
you're not watching.
we have to get home.
no, she's my cousin.
um. no.
he's just a stupid boy.
come on, ingrid.
get him off me. ingrid!
ayy! help me!
there's a boy! he bit me!
a boy. a vogler! where's ingrid?
no, don't! it'll get worse. why did you say anything to them?
that boy bit me because you couldn't keep your fat mouth shut.
you shit in your shoes and then you fuck them!
she doesn't hate you.
what's wrong?
are you sure?
you said, mom.
i'm okay.
i don't think she has a favorite.
but they're married. it's different.
i like malcolm.
no, thanks.
i don't think so. about what?
mm hm.
i thought it was interesting.
i think she liked it.
no.
we didn't, mom.
she really loves you. she does.
why?
that's not true.
i can try to make popovers. if i can remember how.
why are you looking at me like that?
what do you mean?
uh huh.
okay.
i'll help out more. i can make popovers. pauline looks at claude strangely. she leans down and kisses him on the lips.
i thought you couldn't drive.
well, i'm not wearing any deodorant. they reach the top of the hill, over the crest, and descend. the vehicle picks up speed. margot presses down on the brake.
what?
what does that mean?
i mean, what can we do?
mom.
did she poop in her pants?
aren't you coming?
why not?
i don't want to go tomorrow. the distant bong of a low drum and beneath that -- chanting. claude follows margot to the window. ingrid and pauline are already looking out. clumps of demonstrators march in the street. some people hold up signs with slogans -- no more -- bring back -- the rest is obscured from the window. some marchers are dressed in black hoods with white face paint and carry cardboard coffins.
what?
why are we --
did you do something?
i mean, why is the wedding not happening? is there something that you did?
but was there anything real?
will you find pauline and nana after i leave?
are you angry at me?
i don't want to go with you mad at anyone.
can you come with me?
i don't like vermont.
please come, mom.
what do you mean?
i masturbated last night. while everyone was asleep i went into the bathroom and did it.
how will you get home?
uh huh. he looks at her longingly.
i do not. i like hanging out with you.
the world feels strange to me right now.
what?
see you soon.
say, you'll see me "soon."
don't see dick.
please, margot. promise me.
yeah. margot cranes her neck to see outside.