How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Come on now," Terri said. "Don't talk like you're drunk if you're not drunk."
"Just shut up for once in your life," Mel said very quietly. "Will you do me a favor and do that for a minute." (66-67)
Ouch! This is the second time Terri expresses concern over Mel's drinking and his response is hostile to say the least. Actually, it's just plain cruel. Some readers see Terri as badgering and nitpicking and see this moment as expressive of a serious problem in their relationship. But others see her as a concerned wife, who's deeply worried about her husband's habits.
Quote #5
"Drunk kid, teenager, plowed his dad's pickup into this camper with this old couple in it. […] The kid – eighteen, nineteen, something – he was DOA." (67)
This marks the beginning of Mel's example of true love, the elderly couple injured in this car accident. But it should also serve as a harsh reminder of the destructive side of alcohol. Sure, it loosens tongues and helps conversation, but it also kills, in more ways than one.
Quote #6
"He's depressed," Terri said. "Mel, why don't you take a pill?"
Mel shook his head. "I've taken everything there is."
"We all need a pill now and then," I said. (122-124)
The story doesn't talk much about drugs, but this sentence reveals that Mel is taking a variety of pills to deal with depression. It's yet another layer of the Mel onion, peeled back, and it makes us wonder: what's the root of his depression?