How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Mom has to come pick me up in the Turdmobile. She's so mortified and, knowing Mom, worried, that we drive in total silence—total silence being the parental barometer of just how screwed you are. But the real fun is yet to come. There's the phone call to Dad, which results in his early arrival home (sorry, Raina), which leads to a closed-door discussion, which takes us to the four of us sitting in the family room: Mom, Dad, me, and the disappointment. It's like I'm a camera cutting from close-ups of Mom—worried, vaguely detached, certain this is all a reflection on her uncertain mothering—and Dad—tight, controlled, pissed off, determined to fix things. (8.48)
It seems like the biggest thing Cam's family suffers from is poor communication skills. If they could all talk to each other comfortably, it seems like a lot of this tension would be resolved.
Quote #8
Medium shot of teen boy as he struggles with what to say. It has been too long since he has tried to communicate with his parents, and it's like they are on the other side of the ocean, speaking a different language. (8.68)
How would Cam's life be different if he had a relationship with his parents where he felt like he could tell them what was happening to him?
Quote #9
I'm still here? What if I'm not? I'm afraid to look. Okay. Take this slowly. Slide eyes to the left. Window and a wall radiator. Eyes to the right. Visitor chairs. Mom and Dad. Sleeping. Mom and Dad. Still here. All Still here. Thank you. (14.8)
Well now this is a different attitude from before. Cam is starting to see that he does still need the support of his family, especially now that he's really sick. It stinks that sometimes it takes a terminal illness to make you understand the important things in life.