Mary-Louise is one of Squeaky's former friends, who no longer hangs out with her and prefers to spend time with Gretchen and Rosie. Squeaky insists that Mary-Louise is ungrateful and doesn't recall how she helped her out when she first moved to Harlem from Baltimore. While Squeaky and Raymond are minding their own business and walking down Broadway, they run into Mary-Louise, Rosie, and Gretchen. Squeaky mentions that she is prepared to fight and exchanges unkind words with the three girls. After Squeaky makes it clear that she plans on winning the May Day races again, Mary-Louise makes a snide comment by inquiring about what grade Raymond is in. Mary-Louise's question regarding Raymond's grade is a way to subtly make fun of his mental disability. She is fully aware that Raymond is intellectually disabled and has a specially designed education plan catered to his specific needs. Squeaky acknowledges that Mary-Louise is making fun of her brother and does not hesitate to defend him.
Squeaky is strolling down Broadway doing her breathing exercises, Raymond in tow, when she encounters a group of mean girls from school. They start asking really dumb questions and making inane comments. One of the girls, Mary-Louise, sarcastically asks Raymond what grade he's in. This is her snarky way of making fun of his disabilities. She knows full well that he isn't in any grade at all (on account of those disabilities), so she's using what seems like a perfectly innocent, friendly question as a way of having a go at Raymond.
Fiercely protective of her brother as always, Squeaky fires straight back. Any more smack talk from these girls and she'll be their mother—in other words, she'll give them a good hiding.
No comments:
Post a Comment