Chapter 14

           THISISWHYIlovedthesupportgroupssomuch,ifpeoplethoughtyouweredying, theygaveyoutheirfullattention. 

           Ifthismightbethelasttimetheysawyou,theyreallysawyou. Everythingelseabouttheircheckbookbalanceandradiosongsandmessyhairwentoutthewindow. 

           Youhadtheirfullattention. 

           Peoplelistenedinsteadofjustwaitingfortheirturntospeak. 

           Andwhentheyspoke,theyweren’ttellingyouastory. Whenthetwoofyoutalked,youwerebuildingsomething, andafterwardyouwerebothdifferentthanbefore. 

           Marlahadstartedgoingtothesupportgroupsaftershefoundthefirstlump. 

           Themorningafterwefoundhersecondlump,Marlahoppedintothekitchenwithbothlegsinonelegofherpantyhoseandsaid, "Look,I’mamermaid." 

           Marlasaid, "Thisisn’tlikewhenguyssitbackwardonthetoiletandpretendit’samotorcycle. Thisisa-genuineaccident." 

           JustbeforeMarlaandImetatRemainingMenTogether,therewasthefirstlump,andnowtherewasasecondlump. 

           WhatyouhavetoknowisthatMarlaisstillalive. Marla’sphilosophyoflife,shetoldme,isthatshecandieatanymoment. Thetragedyofherlifeisthatshedoesn’t. 

           WhenMarlafoundthefirstlump, shewenttoaclinicwhereslumpedscarecrowmotherssatinplasticchairsonthreesidesofthewaitingroomwithlimpdollchildrenballedintheirlapsorlyingattheirfeet.