When Zeke woke at noon, Mister Stanley, apparently having forgotten his plans to ignore the holiday, asked if Zeke wanted to go help pick out a Christmas tree. Zeke said, “What kind of sick trees do you think will be left on Christmas Eve?” Mister Stanley said, “Probably plenty. There will be plenty of choice.” Zeke said, “Then you don’t need me.” Mister Stanley said, “What the heck, does one even need a tree?” Zeke said, “What the heck, does one even need a tree?” and turned on the TV. Was he trying to exhaust the patience of his patient American dad? No, he was trying to remind his guilty American dad that his mother had abandoned them on Christmas Eve. At six, when Lula decided to start dressing to go out with Alvo, Zeke was lying on the couch watching the Yule log burn on TV, while Mister Stanley sat in a chair, watching his son watching.
What do You think about My New American Life (2011)?
