He and his wife had relocated to Palm Desert, California, in the last year of the twentieth century, settling in one of those gated communities where there's one token African-American couple and four token Jewish couplesChildren and vegetarians are not allowedResidents must vote Republican and own small dogs with rhinestone collars, stupid eyes, and names that end in iTaffi is good, Cassi is better, and something like Rififi is the total ****Pam's father had been diagnosed with rectal cancerIt didn't surprise mePut a bunch of white assholes together and you're going to find that going around I did not say this to my wife, who started off strong and then broke down in tears"He's started the chemo, but Momma says tiffany and co bracelets it might already have metasoh, whatever that ****ing word 119 is, I sound like you!" And then, still sniffing but sounding shocked and humbled: "I'm sorry, Eddie, that was terrible "No, it wasn't," I said"It wasn't terrible at allAnd the word is metastasizedAnyway, they're doing the surgery to take out the main tumor tonight She was starting to cry again"I can't believe this is happening to my Dad "Take it easy," I said"They do miracles these days Either she didn't consider me a miracle or didn't want to go there"Anyway, Christmas here is off And the truth? I was glad "I'm flying out to Palm tomorrowIlse is coming Friday, Melinda on the twentieth considering the fact that you and my father never really saw eye louis vuitton bags to eye Considering the fact that we had once almost come to blows after my father-in-law had referred to the Democrats as "the Commiecrats," I thought that was putting it mildlyI said, "If you're thinking I don't want to join you and the girls for 120 Christmas in Palm Desert, you're correctYou'll be helping financially, and I hope your folks will understand that I had something to do with that-" "I hardly think this is the time to drag your goddam checkbook into the discussion!" And the anger was back, just like thatJack, almost out of his stinking little boxI wanted to say Why don't you go **** yourself, you loudmouth bitchAt least partly because it would have come out loudmouf birch or maybe broadmouth gucci g watch lurch "Eddie?" She sounded truculent, more than ready to get into it if I wanted to "I'm not dragging my checkbook into anything," I said, carefully listening to each wordThey came out all right"I'm just saying that my face at your father's bedside would not be likely to speed his recovery For a moment the anger - the fury - almost added that I hadn't seen his face at mine, eitherOnce more I managed to stop the words, but by then I was sweating"What will you do for Christmas, Eddie?" 121 Paint the sunset, I thought "I believe that if I'm a good boy, I may be invited to Christmas dinner with Jack Cantori and his family," I said, believing no such thing "Jack's the young fellow who works for meAre you still forgetting d