The front door opened again, and Shuggie came out on to the top step. Without addressing the women he turned to his mother and put his hands on his hips; he thrust a foot forward and said as clear as Agnes had ever heard him speak, “We need to talk. I really do not think I can live here. It smells like cabbages and batteries. It’s simply unpossible.” The heads of the audience turned one to another in shock. It was like a dozen faces looking at their own likenesses in the mirror. “Wid ye get a load o’ that. Liberace is moving in!” screamed one of the women.
