50
RELATIVES WORSE
THAN
YOURS
50
RELATIVES WORSE
THAN
YOURS Justin Raczwith Alec Brownstein BLOOMSBURY
Copyright 2005 by Justin Racz All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address Bloomsbury Publishing, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing, New York and London
Distributed to the trade by Holtzbrinck Publishers All papers used by Bloomsbury Publishing are natural, recyclable products made from wood grown in well-managed forests. The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. eISBN 978-1-59691-886-3 First U.S. eISBN 978-1-59691-886-3 First U.S.
Edition 2005 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 Designed by Justin Racz and Elizabeth Van Itallie Printed and bound in Singapore by Tien Wah Press Ltd
For our families. Please forgive us. "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
Relatives Dad's a lawyer with his own practice. Mom's an art therapist at the children's hospital. Little Becky is on the ice hockey Olympics Development team; Little Bobby is on the state chess team. Basically, imagine everything good about your family, double it, and subtract all that's bad.
That's them. A monogrammed L.L. Bean tote bagtherefore, you can't return it. "You can do anything in life if you put your mind to it. And have a good lawyer!" The opposite of your home. You have the same last name.
Makes you look better when trying to get your kids into the same school. Spending time with them makes you want to go on Prozac. He's making up for lost time by Internet datingsites like Match.com, eHarmony, JDate, Nerve.com, AmericanSingles.com. According to his profile, he likes water sports, the New York Times crossword puzzle, and travel. He's spent enough on the kids and the wife. "I'm new to this, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Rents a furnished condo across town. Rents a furnished condo across town.
On the weekends you can go swimming at the building's Melrose P/aee-like pool, He's now a lot cooler about curfew and TV time. Running into him at a club. He's really cuteuntil he starts reciting his audition monologues. He autographs the holiday card and sends you boxes of free cake mix. "Mmm, mmm choctasticl' He has more money than you do. A child actor's career has a very short lifespan. He just bought his parents their dream house on Lake Arrowhead. He just bought his parents their dream house on Lake Arrowhead.
Beats the pinecone bird feeder you made for your mom when you were nine. At family parties, you avoid him like the plague to keep your fingers from being crushed in his viselike grip. A free lesson in Street Fighting 101. Classes taught between holiday meals include the quarter nelson, the kidney punch, and the knee to the groin. "Put 'er there! What? You call that a handshake?" Was an extra in the arm-wrestling film Over the Top, starring Academy Award winner Sylvester Stallone. Will break a rib if he bear-hugs you. No one is sure when he started the tradition of wearing a frighteningly tight loincloth on family vacations. No one is sure when he started the tradition of wearing a frighteningly tight loincloth on family vacations.
But it won't stop. One-month membership at Hollywood Tan. "Another nice day to relax in a banana hammock. Doesn't know how to swim.