How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
"Amazing thing is, neither one a' you look a bit familiar to me. Can't figure that one out. I don't recognize myself in either one a' you. Never did. 'Course your mothers both put their stamp on ya'. That's plan to see. But my whole side a' the issue is absent, in my opinion. Totally unrecognizable. You could be anybody's. Probably are. I can't even remember the original circumstances. Been so long. Probably a lot a' things I forgot. Good thing I got out when I did though. Best thing I ever did." (321)
This is basically the first moment in which we realize that the Old Man is both May and Eddie's father … which means they're siblings as well as lovers.
Quote #2
MARTIN: Oh. I heard you screaming when I drove up and then all the lights went off. I thought somebody was trying to—
MAY: It's okay. This is my uh—cousin. Eddie.
MARTIN: (stares at EDDIE) Oh. I'm sorry.
EDDIE: (grins at MARTIN) She's lying. (333-336)
Given that there's already a ton of family weirdness and confusion, it's kind of funny that May and Eddie add yet another potential family role into the mix when they lie and say Eddie was May's cousin. Really, how would saying "half brother" have been any worse? Perhaps because they know any visible sexual tension between the two of them would seem a shade more permissible between cousins than between siblings, if Martin were to pick up on that kind of thing.
Quote #3
EDDIE: You should thank the entire Mexican nation in fact. We owe everything to Mexico down here. Do you realize that? You probably don't realize that, do ya'. We're sittin' on Mexican ground right now. It's only by chance that you and me aren't Mexican ourselves. What kinda' people do you hail from anyway, Martin?
MARTIN: Me? Uh—I don't know. I was adopted.
EDDIE: Oh. You must have a lotta' problems then, huh?
MARTIN: Well—not really, no.
EDDIE: No? You orphans are supposed to steal a lot aren't ya'? Shoplifting and stuff. You're also supposed to be the main group responsible for bumping off our Presidents. (363-367)
This moment is dripping—nay, soaked—with irony. Yes, you read that right: Eddie is suggesting that Martin must have a screwed up family life and "a lotta' problems" because he's adopted.