How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #7
"She's getting' way outa' line, here." (554)
Now, May's not only wrong in the Old Man's view, but she's also breaking some kind of unknown rules—his rules—in talking about the dirty details about what happened to his families after he skipped town. He most certainly doesn't want to hear it, since it breaks up that perfect little fantasy life he had built for himself.
Quote #8
"Now, wait a second! Wait a second. Just a goddamn second here. This story doesn't hold water. (To EDDIE, who stays seated) You're not gonna' let her off the hook with that one are ya'? That's the dumbest version I ever heard in my whole life. She never blew her brains out. Nobody ever told me that. Where the hell did that come from? (to EDDIE, who remains seated) Stand up! Get on yer feet now goddammit! I wanna' hear the male side a' this thing. You gotta' represent me now. Speak on my behalf. There's no one to speak for me now! Stand up!" (556)
The Old Man gets progressively more upset about May's version of events. Apparently, he had hoped that he would just be able to live in ignorant bliss, focusing on his little fantasies, and never have to hear about what actually happened. But now that it's out, he thinks he can kind of get things back on track (in a sense) by getting Eddie—his fellow fantasist/control freak—to back up an alternative version.
Quote #9
"Now tell her. Tell her the way it happened. We've got a pact. Don't forget that." (557)
In the Old Man's view, he and Eddie had a pact as men/fantasy-oriented people—he mentioned that earlier when he got Eddie to validate his kooky belief that he is married to Barbara Mandrell. Apparently, to him, that was Eddie buying into his right to just define his own reality as he pleases.