Quote 1
"Who did you say you got your name from?"
"My great-grandfather. He named me after the Penn Relays. Not many children have a great-grandfather. My dad says I'm really lucky." (2.34-2.35)
Penn Webb also says his great-grandfather is his best friend, which is maybe the sweetest thing we've ever heard. Except for how much Crash loves his grandfather. That's pretty sweet, too. What's your relationship like with your grandparents? Does it seem realistic to you that both of these boys are so close to their grandfathers, or does that seem strange?
Quote 2
"Do we have a great-grandfather?" I said.
She went, "Shhh!" and gave me a dirty look. She whispered, "I don't know. Ask Mommy." (2.48-2.49)
The Coogan family seems pretty close, but neither Crash nor Abby know if they have a great-grandfather. That's a telling detail. So, what does it tell you?
Quote 3
Webb piped: "John has a great-great-grandfather, and he's a hundred and fifteen years old!"
Four grown-up eyeballs landed on me. I had to think quick. "And I do dive-bombing too!" I said. "Wanna see me?" (6.28-6.29)
Crash doesn't know what to say because he randomly lied to Penn about having a great-great-grandfather. At a loss, he just crashes into some stuff instead. Classic Crash.
Quote 4
"I wanted to ask you if you would like to come to dinner at my house."
The only word I could think of was "Why?"
"Because you're my first friend in Pennsylvania." (3.16-3.18)
Why Penn thinks that Crash, a person who treats him like dirt, is his "friend" is beyond us. Is that being nice, or is that being delusional?
Quote 5
"John, I would like you to meet my mother and father [...]. Mother, Father, this is my best friend, John Patrick Coogan." (5.4)
If John Patrick Coogan is Penn's best friend, we'd hate to see his worst enemy. When you think of Penn introducing Crash this way, do you feel sorry for him? Envious of him? Something else?