You Better Shop Around

The Grand Am to which I will one day glue gold-painted macaroni.

A conversation.

Tata: You're good with babies. I believe in delegating. Wouldn't you like to go meet my grandson for me? He's still got that 'new person' smell.
minstrel: i loves me some babies. especially when i can spoil the living shit out of them and hand them over to their parents to calm down and do all the scut work.
Tata: I told Miss Sasha I'd take a special interest in the boy when he was old enough to drive his Grandma to the liquor store. My son-in-law is transferring to North Dakota by the second week of April, so I thought I'd visit during that week that is summer. Nobody listens anyhow. If you wave a cigarette around in the air, put on red lipstick and say "fuck" a lot, they'll think you're me. Wear a hat. It'll be hilarious! I quit smoking years ago and no one believes it for a minute!

Another conversation.

Tata: I'm thinking about sending every person I know in California over to my daughter's house one at a time to do a stirring impersonation of me evincing maternal interest. I'm not very motherly. I'm more the Let's Take the Kids For Tattoos type. The other day, I explained to my eight-year-old nephew how to cause volcanic reactions with common ingredients and my sister told him to NEVER LISTEN TO ME AGAIN. I said, "Sweetheart, I'll always have bail money." Filming these visits might finally get us our own HBO special.
minstrel: i could wear bright red lipstick and certainly say fuck enough to fool anybody.
Tata: Awesome. Road-test dialog like, "Sweetheart, I hope you kicked that greengrocer's bony ass," "I love you to pieces. Now, get the hell off me and do your own damn laundry," and "Mommy's had enough bullshit. Who's got the remote?" How do you feel about a red sequined dress with spaghetti straps before tea time? You could carry it off. I once arrived in the Milwaukee airport wearing it, fishnets and jump boots. They closed the schools.
minstrel: one notorious halloween party in vegas i had sadjian (a top drawer heterosexual female impersonator, dude was so good he held a female lead spot at the MGM's "Hello Hollywood, Hello) fix me up with a black and scarlett tina turner minidress, wig, springaltor spikes. i shaved the chest, the legs, everything, and went out. our doo-wop line was black boys in drag from the show, all i had to do to bring the house to its knees was look to my right, and growl into the mic "sing it girls". i can do red, in any shade.
Tata: Rock on, sister!

Paired socks stolen by the cats, found on the living room rug.

A third conversation.

Tata: I picture a parade of my friends arriving at Miss Sasha's house, impersonating me. And the subsequent phone calls...
Sharkey: Count me in. I won't even have to shave!
Tata: You'd look divine in red sequins.
Sharkey: I always have...
Tata: Sure, princess. And since Miss Sasha knows you, it won't at all surprise her when you show up in my clothes, put your feet up and say, "Darling, bring Mommy the scotch."

Drusy and Topaz chase a pen on a glass table.

Wanted: Pretend Me Nos. 3, 4, and 5. Applicants must be acquainted with my body of work, able to sit or stand for 30 minutes and smell suspiciously like fresh fruit. No experience being Me necessary. Strong English vocabulary a plus but fluency in any language is a bonus. Must live in California and have own transportation. Must wear red with aplomb and lack constricting personal dignity. Contact the management before happy hour to participate in this exciting project. And if you see Miss Sasha, zip it!