Reading

S4L Book Club – Where is the Mango Princess?

From Shelly:

I’d like to share our favorite or memorable humorous scenes from Where is the Mango Princess? by Cathy Crimmins. Mine, hands down, is when Cathy utilizes the Dick Police to stop her husband from masturbating publicly (pages 84-85).

How about you?

Categories: Reading

3 replies »

  1. I remember that scene! Very funny, indeed. I also remember laughing at a description of Alan not comprehending his paralysis–denying it–and falling over the edge of the bed.

    I think what sticks with me most, though, is the more mundane, everyday humor of Cathy’s word choices. Alan got “walloped” on the head or “conked” on the head. He “lost his marbles.”

    As I was looking at the Dick Police incident, I happened upon this, which, I think, is a great example of the kind of thing I mean:

    From page 86: “He would have visitors if he were in a body cast, so why not when he is lamebrained?”

    It’s not laugh-out-loud funny, but it demonstrates a healthy matter-of-fact lightheartedness in serious and potentially dark and depressing circumstances.

  2. I haven’t read the book, but this reminds me of an example of this at the hospital I worked at. We had a well-known neurosurgeon who had two residents, one of whom was his son. Occasionally, they would “make rounds” on the kids when they were in the therapy department. I was working with one of their patients one day when they walked in with appropriate pomp. My patient’s mom looked up and remarked. “Oh, it’s Big Shit, Little Shit and Dumb Shit.” I almost fell over laughing! We do use humor in the face of the most difficult situations.