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“I don’t care what happened!” he yelled.

“But we were just protecting ourselves,” I said.

“Brian’s a man, he can take it,” he said.

This stands out to me because they were defending their self and was trying to explain what they were actually doing

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This line stood out to me “After Mom and Dad left, Erma became even more cantankerous. If she didn’t like the look on our faces, she would hit us on the head with a serving spoon.” This really surprised me because she was acting really weird.

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"It was gross and creepy to think about, but it would explain a lot. Why Dad left home as soon as he could. Why he drank so much and why he got so angry". This line stands out to me because all of his trauma, hurt and anger probably just all gets out when he drinks. so maybe is therapeutic but it hurts his family too.

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"Erma jerked her hand out of Lori’s grasp and slapped her so hard that Lori’s glasses went flying across the room. Lori, who had turned thirteen, slapped her back. Erma hit Lori again, and this time Lori struck Erma a blow in the jaw. Then they flew at each other, tussling and flailing and pulling hair, locked together, with Brian and me cheering on Lori until we woke up Uncle Stanley, who staggered into the room and pushed them apart. "

This stood out to me because why is a grown woman fighting a 13 year old little girl? I'm not surprised she literally sexually abused Brian why wouldn't she literally have a whole fight with a child is she ok? what also stood out to me was "Brian’s a man, he can take it,” he said. What was the dad's thinking process towards this? Erma is Rex's mom and Erma sexually abuses kids, has she sexually abused Rex? it makes sense as to why Rex thinks nothing of it because his mom raised him to think it's ok. It all makes sense now but poor Brian he's literally Erma's grandson she's sick.

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"Erma reached over to slap me, but Lori caught her hand. “Let’s all calm down,” Lori said in the same voice she used when Mom and Dad got carried away, arguing. “Everybody. Calm down.”'

this stood out to me because it shows how mature lori is and how much she tries to make things better

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"'Brian’s a man, he can take it,' he said."
This line stands out to me most because not only is it sickening enough that Erma could do that do Brian, his own father is saying that he shouldn't care about his sexual assault. Brian's probably already traumatized, and to have a parental figure take a side against him would be awful.

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“Do you think she ever did something to Dad like what she did to Brian?” I asked.
-  It really bothered me at first at how the dad reacted to what happened to Brian, but when Jeanette said this it really changed my perspective. Erma also seemed to have suffered when she was younger and that could've damaged her. She continues to drink and it really shows that something affected her. Rex Walls might've been subjected to the same treatment to what Brian experienced, and that's probably why he doesn't go against his mom.

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"I went into Grandpa’s bedroom and saw Erma kneeling on the floor in front of Brian, grabbing at the crotch of his pants, squeezing and kneading while mumbling to herself and telling Brian to hold still, goddammit. Brian, his cheeks wet with tears, was holding his hands protectively between his legs."
I was surprised, sickened even when reading this. How could as a grandmother do that to your own grandson.

“Brian’s a man, he can take it,” he said.
Also this stood out to me as well because what did the father mean by this? Did he know what his mother did to Brian? Did he think that was okay? Has he ever experienced that as a child? It makes me question him.

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“Brian’s a man, he can take it,” he said. “I don’t want to hear another word of this. Do you hear me?” He was shaking his head, but wildly, almost as if he thought he could keep out sound of my voice.”

Rex Walls isn’t trying to hear the children’s side of the story he sides with his mom without getting a full explanation. When they do try to explain he shakes his head as if he is reminiscing something. What if the same situation that happened to Brian happened to Rex Walls as a kid?

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after dark. Uncle Stanley sometimes sneaked down beans he’d boiled for us, but he was afraid if he stayed talking, Erma would think he’d taken our side and get mad at him, too.

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Uncle Stanley sometimes sneaked down beans he’d boiled for us, but he was afraid if he stayed talking, Erma would think he’d taken our side and get mad at him, too.

This stood out to me because its so crazy how he can be scared of Erma even when she's not treating the kids properly.

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"I thought Dad would come around to our side once he’d heard what had happened, and I tried to explain.

“I don’t care what happened!” he yelled."

This shows a lot about Rex Walls. Even after all the awful things the kids told him that Erma did while he was gone, he refused to believe them or stand up to Erma. Previous text suggests that Rex already knew about the awful things Erma has done, but instead of considering this history and prioritizing his children's safety, he lets Erma watch them without supervision.