Mouth sat next to his sister, tamping down his growing irritation. Every ten seconds she asked him to change the channel, because she was bored.
           “If you gave it a little time, and let yourself watch the program, you wouldn’t be so bored with it.”
           “Just change the channel, Mouth, or get out.”
           “Fine.”
           The remote for the TV was lost, so Mouth had to change it manually. His breathing was getting ragged, and sister June asked again if he was ok.
           “Getting up and down, it blocks my tube. Mucus and stuff, y’know.”
           “Geez, Mouth, why don’t you ever say anything?” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”
           “S’ok.”
           For a couple of minutes they watched Japanese animation dubbed in Spanish.
           “Mouth?”
           “Hmm?”
           “Could you change the channel?”

           Mom was sitting and sipping tea with a little Bailey’s Irish Cream that she thought she had well hidden when Mouth came up to the table and looked at her. She looked back and smiled, broadly. It was like a system of hooks and pulleys had gone out of control, jabbing into the flesh of her cheeks and hoisting them up. Mouth was confused as to what she thought the smile represented. To him, it was either leonine or necrotic, depending on his current mood. Right now, the latter.
           “What do you want, honey?”
           Mouth produced a pad of paper and wrote a few words on it, and handed it to Mom.
           “Why do you need $10?”
           He elucidated his request on the paper.
           “For a remote control? Your TV has one.”
           “For June” he wrote.
           Mom looked at the note and her smile died – all the pulley-ropes cut. She never found any words, so Mouth brought her her purse.
           She cried as she gave him the ten-spot. Mouth hoped he hadn’t upset her, so he gave her a kiss. She cringed. Mouth was sorrier still.[read on]