Fallout (Crank 3)

a little. I hope she can find a few

minutes to spend talking to me.

His voice crackles. Last time

we had a Christmas together,

she never bothered much with

small talk. That kind of hurt

my feelings, know what I mean?

“Grandpa, you ought to know

by now not to let anything Kristina

does or doesn’t do hurt your feelings.

Kristina is all about Kristina.”

SHE’S ALL ABOUT KRISTINA

When we get to the hotel and have

to wait more than twenty minutes for her.

All about Kristina when she opens

the door, sees Grandpa Bill,

and says, Hey there, Grandpa,

how you been? Scooch over.

He starts to sputter, doesn’t

want to complain, so I do it

for him. “You’re skinnier than

he is. You can ride in the middle.”

She throws up her hands, but

what can she say? Whatever.

For the next fifteen minutes,

she goes on about how Ron wants

to ruin her life. Finally, disgusted,

I say, “Try picking better men.”

That elicits a reaction. What would

you know about the men I pick?