How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Dad still hits an AA meeting when he needs to. He says it's a curse—alcoholism. Says I should never even try the stuff because the curse runs in our family. "My father was a drunk, and so was his father." (1.3.19)
Ken Dietz takes drugs and alcohol very seriously, perhaps even more so than most parents of teenagers. He knows what it is like to struggle with addiction, so he doesn't want Vera anywhere near alcohol, hoping to protect her from the addiction that courses through his veins.
Quote #2
"You know, most kids these days are getting drunk and screwing boys. I'm so glad I raised you right," which makes me feel partly like never drinking again so I can continue to make him happy, and partly paranoid that he looked under my driver's seat and found my stash. (1.21.1)
Poor Ken—he's so determined to make sure that Vera never touches a drop of alcohol, but he's already too late; she's drinking every day. Even though Vera wants to make her dad happy, she's too deep in her drinking to stop.
Quote #3
I had no idea how much it would hurt my throat, but loved the way it made me feel a minute later as I sat on the toilet, pondering the tiled floor. Warm. Happy. Safe. (2.1.26)
Vera doesn't even try drinking seriously until Charlie's funeral. She sees two shots sitting on a table at his memorial service and just downs them in order to numb the pain in some way. And for a little while, it works.