Cindy Eagan, editor extraordinaire: many thanks for your incisive feedback and conscientious advice, your humor, your cracking whip. To the lovely ladies of Compai: I am in awe. Jamie Mae Lawrence: without you, I never would have survived high school. And by high school, I mean, like . . . life. Ben Nugent: I will forever cherish our Chango days. I acknowledgeth thee. Annie Baker, kasha to my pickle, sponge to my bone, willow to my shrub, orangutan to my feral cat: you are the love of my life, and for that I am deeply resentful. Jess: Que’est-ce que c’est un gallumpher? You were my first idol, and I love you. Gabe: you scream into toy cell phones and throw them against walls. You snort horseradish at Canter’s. You’re like a brother to me, man. And I love you. Mom: you are the smartest, wisest, wittiest person I know. Thank you for showing me how to be a good person. And for telling my kindergarten teacher I did not have a learning disability.
