overheard

Scarlett's family members like to die a lot. When we were fifteen and she was living at Shelly's house (right before she was legally emancipated) the only contact she'd have with her mother took the form of a weekly death notification.
Post-it notes: Uncle so-and-so dead. Cousin Whatsit's head found in barn- police think cult involved. (This is true).

Last week two of her aunts died. This is sad on many levels. They were both actually really nice people (ironically, most of Scarlett's family is very nice and/or not certifiable, the few exceptions being her immediate kin). Scarlett has a cousin Patty who is retarded. She doesn't have downs syndrome or anything, she's just slow and unable to live on her own. I'm not clear on the exact details-- normal-sized families confuse me, mine being so small-- but I think the two ladies who died were Patty's mother and her sister. Long story short, Patty is now without someone to care for her.

Last night I overheard Scarlett on the phone with Blair."They're putting Cousin Patty in the Retard Clink," she said, her voice softened by genuine sadness.