Dutch East India Company

Lacey’s family may have been involved in honorable positions of management in the actual Dutch East India Company. And…that may be be why she knows that Faye Emerson despite her hit television show was really just a floozie who married Elliott Roosevelt.

A lot of “classy women” are or were just floozies. Slim Keith was a floozie.

And…her father’s family or her birth mother’s family were seemingly British people with high social status. That’s just fact, seemingly.

Frankly most of her perfume community female so-called “friends” were floozies.

II. – – by Adele Anthony plays.

Frankly…Pat Wilson was very much a cheap floozie of the British Aristocracy in Lacey’s opinion. The Loudest Perfume Hater was loud about her obvious floozie status…and it was actually insulting to Lacey that Casi assumed they were anything alike or such close friends for that reason perhaps. Lacey isn’t street trash floozie status looking for a light for her cigarette after working in the strip club. The Loudest Perfume Hater’s over familiarity was almost sociopathic, certainly harassing and it still floors Lacey that The Loudest Perfume Hater was seen as a victim. To Lacey the Loudest Perfume Hater seemed more like a petty, psychologically deranged petty thief looking for a fight.

“Then why were you so nice to The Loudest Perfume Hater?” asks a Malaysian perfume collector accusingly with a perverse sense of authority in the conversation at large that she doesn’t possess at all.

“Why isn’t it obvious?” asks Lacey. “I was trying to be compassionate.” She thinks. “I don’t know what bourgeois bullshit you’ve been fed about the British but they weren’t pure evil just because they were tougher than nails, so to speak.”

“Compassionate how?” asks the Malaysian woman who collects perfume.

“I felt sorry for her.” says Lacey. “And I was trying to deal with her.”

She nods. “Like when you walk by a homeless person and you smile and nod at them maybe instead of shooting them?” she asks seriously.

“Possibly exactly.” says Lacey.

“And we weren’t supposed to know that.” says the Malaysian.

Inception by Hans Zimmer plays.

“And I suppose it wasn’t supposed to hurt when I wrote my blog post about social class in 2017.” says Lacey to Malaysian perfume collector.

“Man! This chick has issues!” says a mannish, slutty Millennial woman who feels very narcissistically threatened by Lacey when she’s usually not threatened by other women. She is terrified. And Lacey’s whole life she’s been expected violently by American society to be best friends with this woman.

“Do you have a functional conscience?” Lacey asks the Malaysian and the mannish Millennial cool-girl woman.

“Okay!” says a bourgeois black woman hatefully to Lacey to the white and Asian cool-girls.

And suddenly the statue in Boston is a cruel joke. A punch in the gut from Al Qaeda?

DFM laughs?

“Yes, if Purgatory exists…Al Qaeda is mocking American evil?” asks Lacey. “American conceit? From the grave?”

“I’d love for that shit statue to be where the Twin Towers stood. Then you’d worship the God of the Bible!” cries a dead 9/11 terrorist. “Why don’t you worship the God you-“

“I couldn’t help but be insulted.” says the Malaysian.

“You don’t see yourself as liberated from the constraints of social class based on your transcendent love for olfactory art?” asks Lacey.

“Well that’s very high minded of you?” says an Australian perfume collector to Lacey.

“That’s God. God is the ultimate artist. And our Father if we don’t reject Him.” says Lacey.

“Reject Him?” asks a humanist.

“Oh yes.” Lacey laughs at evil. “No, God is not trying to molest you. God isn’t a child molester.” She thinks. “We don’t reject God like that. He’s not some molester who demands we recognize him and his orientation to take advantage of us and try to destroy us and use us and defile us.” She thinks. “He’s our Father if we say, ‘Thanks for your salvation through Jesus. I accept that I was born into a Fallen, evil world and may possibly be evil myself at times. And I ask for forgiveness and for Jesus to be Lord and Savior of my heart.’” says Lacey. “And then we mourn the wretched state of this Fallen world in hope that God will someday bring us Home to Heaven to be safe and sound.”

Fishin’ by Takenobu plays.

“You know, what’s so ridiculous about God being our Father?” asks the Malaysian woman.

Lacey smiles. “That is Christianity!” says Lacey.

The Malaysian woman who collects perfume cries.

“But it is Christianity.” says Lacey.

“It’s a pure hearted, beautiful-“ an Asian man cries.

“It isn’t pedophilic.” says Lacey.

The Asian man shakes his head no.

The Hours, Film Score by Philip Glass plays.

“And in Australian Purgatory…Pat Wilson sits with Joe Jr.. at the picnic table before the cake flew?” asks the Australian perfume community of Lacey.

“No. Unfortunately that’s over.” says Lacey. “They might be in Australia in Purgatory but…they aren’t at the LED Light Party for me, for now. Maybe not for you either?” says Lacey.

Song For Jesse by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis plays.

“I do have a conscience!” says the mannish, slutty Millennial woman to Lacey.

“Do you?” Lacey asks.

“I was a floozie!” says Faye Emerson.

“I know.” says Lacey. “But today you’re a Boomer-Saint.”

“They liberated me!!!” says Zelda sarcastically about the Boomers.

“Isn’t it creepy they’d be so focused on their parent’s sexuality?!” asks a dead child sex slave.

“It is!” says Lacey to the dead child sex slave.

“I think it’s creepy you’re calling him a dead child sex slave.” says a pedophile in the Illuminati, possibly mocking the bullshit Boomers react with narcissistically.

“Say!!! I thought that was a brilliant argument?” says Lord Thirsten Snotbanks III.

“Do tell us more!” says Michael.

“You see…the thing is…Lacey must be convinced.” says Thirsten. “She’s very prideful.” He thinks. “My house is worth around a million Dollars.”

“Go on!” say the Australians.

“Well, I suppose if Pat is included in that and not just floozies.” he says without irony.

Gnossiennes (6) by Erik Satie plays.

“But Pat is or was a floozy.” says Lacey.

“What’s that?! Who’s that controlled, aristocratic sounding dear soul?!” asks Thirsten.

“It’s me?!” says Lacey, terrified.

“No!! Now I know Lacey has eaten her brains!” he says, as if he believes he’s the spiritual CIA. “Shut-up!!” he yells at Lacey violently.

Silence.

“Where are you, Lacey? A brothel? A commune? Where? I am quite certain you’re my girlfriend who paints sea shells for Etsy. You just need to know your place… I am always correct. I am your social superior. I am the last hope you’ve ever had of being rich. I’m your Henry Francis.” he says smiling.

Cornfield Chase by Hans Zimmer plays.

“No, I don’t think you’d be Henry Francis in relation to me.” says Lacey.

“But my house is worth a million Dollars.” he says. “Your house is worth $400,000.00 he says.”

“How did you know that?!” asks the Loudest Perfume Hater of Lord Thirsten Snotgrass.

“I looked it up on Zoom!” he says in irritation to the Loudest Perfume Hater.

“Anyway, what other accoutrements of nobility does a Snotgrass have these days?” asks an Australian of Lord Snotgrass.

“I can’t price the old houses as worth more just because they’re old.” says a realtor out of the blue.

…”I have art.” says Thirsten Snotgrass.

“What sort of art?” asks Pat possibly eating leftover cake at the picnic table.

Thirsten Snotgrass looks at her. “In the future or in my spirit I watched your entire love story.”

She cries in embarrassment.

He shakes his head in disdain.

“You were intimidated by me a minute ago?” she says.

“Yes, and then you asked me what art I collected.” he corrects her.

“I’m Australian!” she yells.

“Fine! I don’t collect any great art.” he says.

“Isn’t a $400,000.00 house intimidating anymore?” asks his seashell artiste.

The Loudest Perfume Hater looks at Lacey apologetically. It’s unclear if she’s being serious or sarcastic.

“Umm…isn’t it concerning actually that Lacey refuses to play the seashell racket?” asks The Loudest Perfume Hater.

“Why do you care?!” yells Thirsten at her in response.

“I’d like more control of this conversation, please!” says Pat.

Silence.

“She’s just mocking you!” Pat says sociopathically to Lacey about the seashell artiste.

“I know. And Pat…I don’t care. I…don’t…care.” says Lacey.

“Why do you think a million in new money real estate is a safe investment?” The Loudest Perfume Hater to Thirsten.

He thinks.I

“What was it about Thirsten that you didn’t like?” asks his ex of Lacey.

Silence.

“I don’t know! Say, you want to come run my company?!” he asks the Loudest Perfume Hater.

“Oh no, Dear! Don’t offer her our golden goose. Our team effort.” says the seashell artiste.

Pat laughs. “You really are lost.” she says to Lacey.

“I am.” says Lacey in the hands of God.

Later.

“So Lord Thirsten Snotgrass is a fraud who really just wants to live on the beach with his seashell girlfriend in Hawaii?” asks Lacey matter-of-factly.

Silence.

“And we don’t understand!” says Lou. “See, in their minds we’re children.”

“Have you two ever had to make Hamburger Helper?!” asks Mrs. Blue.

Lacey decided that Mrs. Blue is a real Betty Draper in a way. And Batgirl III is actually Joan Holloway. And Mr. Blue is Don Draper. …Of course they could still be The Three Headed Beast. …But could Joan, Don and Betty as real people be that dark? No? …Then what’s wrong with the Bat Crew’s souls?

Obviously, Joan and Don could have had an affair. Why didn’t Mad Men explore that possibility more? How many fans waited for that story arch? …And of course that Bryn Mawr education looks a bit pretentious as does her “riding.” Very stuck in that era.

“Do you ride?” someone asks Lacey.

“I’ve ridden a horse Western Style. Never Side Saddle. Maybe a few times. My Great Uncle had horses on his farm and I rode them a couple of times. And then I rode twice far more properly at a horse ranch twice in school.” says Lacey. “I suppose my uncle had more proper horse riding gear on his farm because they had horses too. Remember how they were going to have a stable for six horses on their estate?”

“But you don’t ride like…consistently?” asks Lord Thirsten Snotgrass.

“No. My former sister-in-law does. She’s a great equestrian, I think. Her mother’s family has a famous horse trainer in it who helped with a Kentucky Derby winner in the 2010’s, I believe.” says Lacey in irritation.

“So you don’t ride?” asks Thirsten Snotgrass of Lacey.

“I don’t. It scares me.” says Lacey.

“But you get along with horses?” asks the seashell artiste.

“They’re gracious creatures. Very independent. But no, it’s just that horses can kill you very easily.” says Lacey.

“So…true.” says Mrs. Blue. “So Hamburger Helper?”

“No.” says Lacey.

“It’s tasty.” she says.

“A lot of those cheap, preservative-laden boxed foods are.” says Lacey.

“Why don’t you eat them?” asks seashell girlfriend.

“They’re bad for you.” says Lacey.

“You know what? I think your estate in North Fakota is with two cents!” says seashell girlfriend.

“No. It’s not. It’s worth around $6 million.” says Lacey.

“That’s not that much!” says a man in the Illuminati who’s house on Long Island is worth $5 million.

“Oh! You be think they’d rather live on the beach so much more that to them a landlocked estate is worth two cents?” asks Lacey.

“No!!!” seashell girlfriend shrieks.

Lacey looks horrified.

“You think I hate you?! I don’t hate you. I’m just miffed you’re soo jealous of me. And so ugly compared to me. And so stupid. My seashell art rivals anything in the Met.” says seashell girlfriend.

“Do you really think all that? Or are you just embarrassed you’re working class to some degree? And have had a lot of Hamburger Helper over the years?” asks Lacey.

She seethes. She breathes. “I could kill you!!” she screams at Lacey.

“Why? Because you’re not mentally well? If you and Thirsten Snotgrass are reading this blog you’re stalking me. Waiting for what? My money? You’re low-life, trashy criminals.” says Lacey. “Or what? You can’t fathom how shitty you actually are societally compared to the vain imagination you had of me?” She thinks. “Are you two going to keep pretending to be bourgeois or are you truly bourgeois and we’re all just waiting for the late 20th Century upper-middle class to dissolve into nothing in the next ten years?”

“What will happen to my house?” asks the man on Long Island with the house worth $5 million.

“It’ll probably be worth a lot more, a lot less or about the same with not much income?” says Lacey. “I could be totally wrong though. I’m sorry.”

“A lot of Millennials are iffy on investing in real estate.” says a Millennial.

“I’m sorry I can’t relate to the Hamburger Helper experience.” says Lacey.

“How did you eat?” asks a witch.

“As a child?” Lacey asks.

“Yes?” says the Charismatic realizing Lacey was talking about horses and nothing else. Or he wants to pretend he wasn’t intimidated be her verbal intelligence.

Lacey feels bad. “I ate…Hagen Daaz on Eggo Waffles for breakfast every morning with orange juice from Minute Maid frozen concentrate. …Organic or almost organic four food group, whole grain, carefully monitored lunches made by my mom. …They were…depressing but very healthy. …And then for dinner roasted whole chicken, baked potatoes with accompaniments and some fresh cooked or steamed vegetables. And then possibly more Hagen Daaz ice cream with Hershey’s chocolate sauce from a can and roasted peanuts for dessert.” She says. “Sometimes for dinner it was hot dish. Other times it was steak, baked potatoes and a vegetable. Etc.”

“Why not duck?” asks The Loudest Perfume Hater. “My grandfather shot ducks and they ate them yet my mother at least pretended we were too lowly for duck.” says Lacey.

The Loudest Perfume Hater laughs.

“We had lobster sometimes though. And shrimp. White sauce with scallops and linguini.” says Lacey. “Homemade mashed potatoes and gravy with meatballs, spaghetti, side salads with various dressings. …Homemade New England Clam Chowder.” She thinks. “Occasionally it was meatloaf with a potato and vegetable.” She thinks. “Roast beef, potatoes, carrots and a side salad.”

“Did your mother ever make filet mignon?” asks a Perfume Hater’s Mother.

“No. Just the other various kinds of steak.” says Lacey. “And if it was filet mignon she just called it steak.”

“Other dishes too, I bet.” says a perfume hater.

“Yes.” says Lacey.

“Did you ever eat raw oysters?!” asks a perfume hater.

“No.” says Lacey. “We had lots of fish.” She thinks. “When I was little Minnesota had great Walleye and it was likely far safer.”

“What is the point of this conversation?!” asks a man.

Indignantly, “Did your mother ever try to make soufflés or sauces?” asks a perfume hater. “She never made soufflés. She made many sauces.”

“What about lemon meringue pie?” asks the Charismatic.

“No. Many other pies.” says Lacey. “Wasn’t that disgusting and cruel?”

“What kind of Hagen Daaz?” asks an Englishman.

“Honey Vanilla.” says Lacey. “No added sugar and no fun.”

“So…you had a lot of good food. And you drank what?” asks a perfume hater.

“The best milk, orange juice from concentrate, various other organic (or near organic) pure fruit juices, sometimes sparkling beverages…and rarely soda with the exception of my father who drank copious amounts of Pepsi.” says Lacey.

The perfume hater rolls his eyes.

“What about buttermilk?” asks his wife.

“Yes! My mother loved or pretended to love buttermilk and goat cheese.” says Lacey. “And they used homemade French Toast, pancakes, corn, maple syrup, apples, other fresh fruit and other things of that sort to make me feel like vomiting.”

The Loudest Perfume Hater laughs.

“The refuge I had were bitter herbs, lemon, black coffee, black tea, and good water.“ She thinks, “And…from that safety I could gradually enjoy the other food in small quantities.”

“Oh! You just must be a psychopath! You know…isn’t it true that people with psychopathy like bitter things?” asks a hater.

“Actually, I highly suspect that that’s psychopathic bullshit. And it’s the opposite as much if not more so.” says Lacey.

“That’s all got to be a lie!” says Mr. Blue.

“Why?!” asks Lacey.

“You ate gluten though?” asks a Christian.

“Yes. No additives. No preservatives. No dyes. No added sugar. No…flavor or fun. But very healthy.” says Lacey.

“Why?!” asks The Loudest Perfume Hater.

“She was evil possibly…but also very smart and very aware of health food. She was a Hippie in that way. She was a Hippie in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.” says Lacey.

“Why wasn’t your mother a vegetarian?” asks a reader.

“Even back then she was aware that arguably only meat had certain amino acids necessary for good health.” says Lacey.

“And they donated so much they forced you to live beneath the poverty level?” asks a perfume hater.

“We ate very well, relatively speaking? We never had much debt. And no…we weren’t on food stamps ever. Or any public assistance. What’s your problem?” Lacey asks.

“You lived below the poverty line you piece of shit!!” says a perfume hater to Lacey.

“How so?” asks Lacey.

“You did right?!” she asks suddenly sounding confused.

“What metrics are you using? asks Lacey.

“You had a shithole you lived in!” she says grinning.

“Are you trying to be Asian in some way I don’t understand?” Lacey asks her. “Because of course the answer is no. But…it wasn’t the coolest apartment. And people did wonder if I was poor because of that. But it was cheap, clean and cozy. And my mother did decorate well for her.”

“You ate well!” she says. “How much did you spend every time?”

“We spent about $100 to $200 every week.” says Lacey. So that’s double that today.”

“That’s a lot!” she says.

“Mmm…no. Really?” asks Lacey.

“So I spend about $90.00 a week.” says a perfume hater. “And that’s a lot!”

“For a family of what?” asks Lacey.

“Two.” he says.

“Okay?” Lacey says. She thinks. “No, my parents made the rough equivalent of about $80,000.00 today for our family of three.” Lacey says. “And we could have had a pleasant little house but they spent it on other things.”

“That’s not that much. Why didn’t they have more kids?“ asks The Loudest Perfume Hater of Lacey.

“They didn’t think they could afford it.” says Lacey.

“How much did they actually make?” asks The Loudest Perfume Hater.

“Over a 20 year period it ranged from $27,000.00 to $50,000.00.” says Lacey.

“$50,000.00 when?” asks the Loudest Perfume Hater.

“It was closer to $53,000.00 I think, actually. If I recall correctly. In 1995?” says Lacey.

“You guys…you get so confused.” says seashell artiste. “That’s a bizarre childhood.” She thinks. “I think you also can’t handle how much she remembers. Or how poor you all were compared to her. Or how rich her family actually is regardless.”

Then Lacey is interrupted.

Later.

“I grew-up around wealthy people.” says Lacey. “The lifestyle my parents chose wasn’t a wealthy one in every way. Even if it was upper-class. And as such we were looked down on. …People either understand that very simple premise…or they don’t.” says Lacey.

“Your parents didn’t love you!” says a hater.

“Neither do any of you??” says Lacey. “And that’s sick. People aren’t normal nowadays. And kids are suffering and this world is at the end of its rope, so to speak.”

“And that’s why I love house churches and seashell artistes!” says Thirsten Snotgrass right on cue with a huge grin. He realizes how psychopathic he sounds. “She hurt me!” he says in reference to Lacey.

“Thirsten…did you do something crappy like…what? Like…call her drunk and beg for money?” asks an anarchist.

He thinks. “I was drunk. And-“ His mouth drops open in shock. “You know, that’s easily how she could have interpreted that conversation.” He thinks. “It was like dating Zelda’s father.” Then he feels bad. “She’s a woman and feminine. But you know, she might be more suspicious of that than most women her age.”

“I don’t have that kind of money.” says The Loudest Perfume Hater.

“And I’m not Zelda’s Father.” says Lacey. “But that’s a fine way to describe it maybe.”

“Do you think you’d be that suspicious?!” Thirsten Snotgrass asks the Loudest Perfume Hater.

“I bet your parents would insist that they loved you.” says The Loudest Perfume Hater. “But…I don’t buy it.” She thinks. “I wish them well. But I don’t hate you.” she says.

“And I think you do. But that’s…”. *Lacey shrugs* “Would you be suspicious of Thirsten Snotgrass?”

“How much money do you think he has?” she asks.

“$500,000.00.” says Lacey.

“Does that impress you?” The Loudest Perfume Hater asks.

“He’s into his golden years. By that age $500,000.00 is a small sum net. Retirement is very expensive.” says Lacey.

“My wife never worries about that!” says an Illuminati man.

“Well, do you love your wife?” Lacey asks.

“Yes.” he says.

“Good!” says Lacey. …”No, I’ve never been loved that way either. Thanks for pointing that out?” *she laughs*

“Hey, at least you’re not a sex slave right?” another Illuminati member says to Lacey.

“I have no idea how to answer that to dignify the children. Have your demons eaten out your brains?” she asks. “Are you even human?” she asks before laughing again.

“Michael loves you.” says that man’s wife, almost crying.

“Well, I’ll let him express that. But…I have faith that God will work it out.” says Lacey. “And there are possibly others, of course like Lem.”

“I’d be suspicious!” says the Loudest Perfume Hater getting angry for some reason.

“What would you do?” asks Lacey.

She laughs. “Well…I don’t know.”

“Do you think he’s using me?!” asks seashell artiste.

The Loudest Perfume Hater laughs… Then she nods a yes.

“Well, are you impressed by his $500,000.00?” asks Lacey.

She smiles. “I am. It’s not a lot. But it’s all he has. And I’m impressed. He worked a lot of hours to make that money.” says the seashell artiste.

“True.” says Thirsten Snotgrass.

“Well, $500,000.00 in a frugal lifestyle of some additional income isn’t so bad.” says Lacey.

“Would you have been able to do that?” Thirsten Snotgrass asks.

A few minutes later. “I think if I was loved thoroughly and truly in a marriage then yes.” says Lacey. “But at this point…it would require an extraordinary degree of love to deal with it. Because I’m exhausted. It’s not that I’m totally dependent on money it’s just…that’s what I have and giving that up is scary.”

“But why would you have to give that up?” asks a hater.

“Because they seem exhausting to deal with and the way I’ve set up my life trajectory financially in my head requires a lot of status quo or a lot of love.” says Lacey.

“Like…you have to have a certain handbag to look forward to given this time frame or…you’ll start weeping?” asks a hater.

“Yes. Yes, because I have my ex-husband. But…he’s my ex-husband. And…we’re already exhausted. And…I just don’t have it in me to push myself to find something that will make me feel more exhausted.” says Lacey.

“What if he really loved you?” asks a perfume hater from Australia.

“That’d be different, of course. But…my experience with men not dead is that they rarely see my heart or true personality and it’s…not the way it should be. Not like what I see other couples experiencing.” says Lacey.

“Like how?” asks the Australian.

“Like…I’ll feel like crying on a date with a living man and he’ll not notice and actually be on a wildly different wavelength. So I just…stifle my emotions and try to be positive. …But with seeming ghosts of men I’ve met they often can tell when I’m in a bad mood before I start feeling like crying. And they don’t act angry about it but instead try to be supportive.” says Lacey. “They act like I’m a woman not an old-fashioned, prim, backward fool.”

“But they’re dead.” says a living man.

“True. But…unless God forbids it…I’m not sure I could fathom caring enough to try finding a living man when they’re often already suspect for other reasons.” says Lacey. “It would require a shocking exception at this point in my life path thus far.”

“You know, it’s possible those dead men don’t like the thought of you being with anyone but them!” says a hater.

“If they’re really dead men…that’s possibly true.” says Lacey.

LED Light Party

In the afterlife as described in the Bible is it possible that Pat Wilson is throwing a party? A party with LED lights? 30 miles of LED lights strung from a trailer to the edge of the river?

Lux Aeterna by Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet plays.

And under the LED lights are rows of picnic tables with cakes, punch, hot dogs and Boston Baked Beans. And corn cobs. And root beer. And potato chips. And coleslaw. And potato salad.

It’s their afterlife? Or it’s their house? Or what?

And why? Why?

Because in 1974 Lacey was actually possibly friends with Bobby Jr.? …Like, actually friends. They never dated but he may have had a slight crush on her. He resented her maternal instincts. And yet, she just couldn’t date him because it seemed strange. But she did enjoy his company as a friend. And they never held hands or anything one would do on a date. But they liked to talk politics and history.

And that’s when Joe lost Lacey. That possibility is when Joe lost Lacey. And of course Lacey was born in 1983.

The thing is…they would have been friends. He was possibly a better person back then and the world was a better place.

The thing is…was this potentiality a problem for Joe all along or did it arrive at this cruelty eventually? Not that her and Bobby would ever have even dated…but just him possibly being her equal and maybe finding her pretty…would destroy the possibility of her and Joe Jr..

“No nothing ever happened between them.” says Lem.

He watched them. Why? Because she wasn’t like his usual female friends, for the most part. She was serious, thoughtful and very observant. She seemed sad. And she was fascinated by Lem.

She asked Lem endless questions. And at almost 20 she didn’t realize that Lem was fascinated by her too. Because she was raised to be the very humble. And it’s not that she thought her beauty was non-existent she just didn’t think it mattered. She’d only had one boyfriend who broke off the engagement to marry a model. And she planned to finish an Art History degree and possibly live in New York City indefinitely.

“But then she visited us.” says Lem in 1974.

Do her and Lem fall in love? Get married forever? Would Lem have shocked people by going from supposedly gay interior decorator to married man with a 20 year old wife?

“That’s pedophilia!” shouts someone.

“Not if Lacey was 20 and Lem wasn’t a pedophile and their relationship was somehow normal.

A 20 year old woman in 1974 might have been a woman. And she was ready to get married.

“I was ready to settle down and get married at 20.” says Lacey. “But there was no one to marry and Millennials were taught to wait until age 30 to marry.”

Silence.

“I’m not a pedophile and I don’t think Lem is either.” says Lacey.

Ghosts-Falling by Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet plays.

“I would have cleaned-up for her.” says Lem. “She would have been the love of my life.”

“But she was born in 1983.” says Michael drearily.

“And you died in 1961, supposedly.” says Louis to Michael.

“Yeah, that’s a shame.” says Gabby.

“Well…would I have married Michael…or Lem?” asks Lacey. “If Michael hadn’t have died.”

“No, that’s a good question.” asks a demon or a possible 20th Century English shipping magnate.

“Or me?” asks Louis. “At age 24.”

“I was born in 1983 and these possibilities are tragic?” asks Lacey. “Or was I never supposed to be with Joe?”

“What’s the LED Light Party like?” asks the Loudest Perfume Hater.

“I don’t know. Are Bobby and Ethel, Bobby Jr.’s parents invited?” asks Lacey.

Summer Overture by Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet plays.

Later.

“Yes! We are there.” Bobby Sr. says to Lacey. Ethel demurs.

Joe sits and It’s All In The Game as sung by Tommy Edwards plays.

Under a string of LED lights, with a plate of cake, Boston Baked Beans and Fruit Punch he sits. It’s actually very beautiful. Does he notice it?

Crickets are in the background. It’s pitch black. Other than for the LED lights.

Pat Wilson joins him across the table.

“When I died in 2017 and we fell in love…were we really cheating?” asks Pat, seeming serene.

“Lacey loves this song but it made her weep.” says Joe.

Pat cries.

And at that Joe loses his temper. He picks up his slice of cake and throws it at Pat.

She looks at him and grins. Her face lights up, showing off her sparkling, happy, blue eyes. She thinks he’s just being silly.

Please Love Me Forever by Tommy Edwards plays next.

Pat opens her mouth and grins, ever joyfully.

“Pat, do you have any clue what this song reminds me of?!” he asks holding back his rage.

“Oh, it’s just the way I love you.” says Pat.

“You think I want to hear Michael or Lem sing love songs to Lacey?” asks Joe Jr.. “I was dead in the 1950’s. Michael was alive. So was Lem.”

She thinks. “Can’t it be our song?!” she pleads.

The song plays.

Bobby Sr. laughs cautiously.

“I’ll love you forever…” sings Pat.

J. P. Kennedy Sr. sighs in exasperation, rolls his eyes and gets up to go order a pizza on his cell phone.

“Where’s Dad going?” Joe asks Bobby.

Love Is All We Need by Tommy Edwards plays.

“Joe, Joe, Joe why aren’t you happy?” pleads Pat Wilson.

And what happens next is a mystery. For now. Why? …Because earlier today Lacey heard wailing, male guffaws at some seeming hilarity and she wondered what it was. She thought it was likely at Pat’s LED party. Was it or…was it just sounds from Hell?

…And is that Leslie Jordan in Purgatory worshiping the God of the Bible…trying desperately and bravely to enjoy the cake Pat Wilson served? He does not look happy but he also looks as if he’s trying to enjoy the cake.

“Did Leslie ever attack you?” asks a Charismatic.

“Yes!” says Lacey. “I think so.”

“It’s not funny.” says Leslie very seriously.

“But it sounds hilarious.” says Lacey. Joe Jr. throws more cake at Pat.

He cries.

“Why is sad?” Lacey asks him.

It’s Only The Good Times I remember by Tommy Edwards plays.

Leslie may be given grace to laugh.

And at that a picnic table perfect for Pinterest in 2014 topples over.

I’ve Been There plays next. Pat’s ex-husbands arrive. They arrange themselves to smile and bless the union of Joe and Pat? It was supposed to be humorous.

Joe is enraged by Pat…

Honestly and Truly plays next.

Somehow…Pat and Joe start dancing. …And then Kick screams because a bunch of raccoons dart through the party?

“Is that real? It’s like a comedy.” says Lacey.

—-

Later.

After Lacey sees the new statue in Boston…she decides it a violent, racist, Lem-has-to-be-gay, JFK-fan, MLK Jr.-was-secretly-gay-too-and-didn’t-love-his-wife, Michael Rockefeller-insulting, bisexuality-attacking, possibly pedophilic, hideous piece of shit. And actually it looks like a literal piece of shit… She grieves for the people who were victims of this psychological violence.

“Nope. I had nothing to do with it.” says Louis.

“I hate it.” says Bobby Sr..

“No! The kids are not to blame!” says Lacey to the pedophiles in the Illuminati.

“Who is?” yells a pedophile back at her.

“Whoever inspired it. And who was that? Leslie?” asks Lacey.

“So hidden Dixiecrats?” asks someone.

“Boston does have a racist history.” says a Liberal.

“Who likes that $10 million statue?!?” asks a black man.

“It wasn’t my direct idea. Certainly not!” says Leslie.

“What if a Jew designed it?” asks Harold Loeb.

“I don’t think almost anyone likes that statue. …Oddly it’s so gross and genuinely offensive I think it’s self-hating antisemitism in that case. Accidental or intentional.” says Lacey.

“I doubt a Jew had anything to do with it.” says Harold Loeb.

“I hope not.” says Lacey. “Does the public deserve that money back?” asks Lacey. “And frankly, I worry for the man who made it.”

“What do you mean?” asks Leslie.

“Was he set-up?” asks Lacey.

“What do you mean?” asks a bleak woman.

“He was bound to hurt himself making that statue. It’s just that genuinely awful. …And if to it was a racist plot…and he’s black…then?” says Lacey.

“Well…I hate that statue.” says a man who it was supposed to be designed for.

“Could it be the other way around?” asks a gay politician.

“Like it’s mocking Jack and Lem?” asks Lacey.

He thinks. “Actually, the homophobic satire of Jack and Lem angle is far fetched.”

“You’re desperately trying to be a victim. Aren’t you? …Because even if it is a satire it’s self-exonerating. It’s like a mockery of human rights outside of the rights of racist gay men who hate women.” says Lacey.

She thinks.

“Actually, who are you playing nice with?” she asks.

“Is it an attack on your father?” a pleb asks.

“Possibly, but who is attacking him? …HoneyFitz?” she asks. “Joe Jr.?” She thinks. “The Crash Bang Gang led by Pat Wilson? …Dixiecrats-who-love-Kem? …It’s…gross.”

“It’s just innocent art!” says someone.

“Then why are the people who it’s supposed to honor possibly offended?” asks Lacey.

A Native American woman laughs.

“The thing is…if a pedophile inspired it…it’s unfortunately a testament to their derangement. …Or if it wasn’t pedophilic in that way…then is it an attempt at making friends with pedophiles but it accidentally insults their intelligence?” asks Lacey. “They are vile and deranged but are they really likely as of yet to spend $10 of other people’s money on controversial art?”

“Why wouldn’t they?” asks a gay man condescendingly of Lacey.

“Because they’re sociopathic or psychopathic on some level consistently and they try to fit in in society. They’d not be likely to be dumb enough to think they were going to get away with it.” says Lacey.

“Or…they’re getting really dumb!!” says a drunk Pat Wilson.

“I hope you and Joe are eventually able to find happiness!” says Lacey ironically to them both from a safe distance.