Quote 4
"Well, with Scooter home now—" She squeezed my shoulder, stared into my eyes. "Now really, would you rather have my money or my time?"
"Your money." (45.7-45.8)
It's totally unclear if Crash is joking with his mother here, by the way. What do you think? Does he mean it about the money? In any case, he seems to appreciate having her at home…eventually.
Quote 5
"He wasn't home very much in those days, so when I did see him, I looked and looked at him until he was locked into my mind's eye." (48.15)
We learn that Scooter was away at sea for much of Mrs. Coogan's childhood. How does she seem to feel about that situation? Explain your answer.
Quote 6
"There was a minute back then when I was actually afraid you might forget what I look like."
[…]
"I know it sounds silly. But that was just before I told my boss I was going part-time." (48.18-48.20)
Mrs. Coogan says all of this to Crash after they find Scooter looking at the portrait she did of him years ago—when she was a kid and he was on one of his frequent sea voyages. She didn't see much of her dad when she was a kid, and she was afraid she'd forget what he looked like, so she painted a picture of him. With that in mind, do you think Mrs. Coogan's fear that her kids might forget what she looks like sounds silly? Why or why not?