Reality Boy

A year after Gerald’s family’s episode with Network Nanny aired, Gerald’s mother wrote another letter to the network to ask Nanny to return since things haven’t improved. Tasha continues to engage in inappropriate behavior, this time humping pillows in front of everyone without shame. The producers of Network Nanny agree to do another episode with Gerald’s family, prompting Gerald’s mother to have the kitchen redone because she’s concerned about televised appearances. The family negotiates for more money from the network as well.

In the consultation with Gerald’s family, Nanny speaks with Gerald individually to express that she knew things had been “unfair” (90) for him last time and that she would help his mother see things his way this time around. She asks him to promise to be good, which Gerald does.

Gerald’s parents tell their children that if they behave on camera, they will all go to Disney World. On the night before the taping, Tasha threatens Gerald by saying she will kill him if he ruins her chance of going to Disney World. In response, Gerald defecates in Tasha’s Barbie Princess Cinderella Carriage. When Gerald’s mother discovers it the next day, she throws the toy away and buys a new one from Toys “R” Us before the taping.

After biting Tasha’s hand, Gerald heads to work, distracted. When he encounters a rude customer, he leaves work and heads to the circus in an effort not to bite the customer. While at the circus, he goes to Gersday, where he imagines doing a synchronized trapeze routine with Lisi. In this fantasy, Lisi asks him to go to Glasgow with her and he agrees. Gerald remembers saying goodbye to Lisi in real life before she left the country. Though she said, “Call me if you need me” (96), Lisi never calls home.

During a work break, Gerald calls his father to talk about what happened earlier that morning. Gerald’s father tells him everything is fine, that they did not call the police, and that Tasha “exaggerates” (100). Gerald tells his father that he is not coming home, “Not while she lives there” (101). He hangs up on his father and promptly runs into a group of people having an argument. One of the men says to the other, “Good luck finding a way out of this shitty little town!” (101). The message resonates with Gerald.

Gerald encounters one of the people involved in the argument. His name is Joe Jr., and he is a teenager who looks to be the same age as Gerald. When Gerald talks to Joe Jr., he learns that the teenager works for the circus. Gerald wishes that he could join him. Joe Jr.’s father owns the circus, so he insists that the work is not glamorous at all. He expresses that he wishes he could “Blow the whole thing up” (105), referencing the circus buses. Gerald identifies with this extreme sentiment. The two of them exchange numbers and agree to become friends.

Gerald stays at the PEC Center for closing. He sees Hannah journaling and upset. He tries to console her, and she reveals that she wants to leave town to go to another country like India or Morocco. She asks him if he would go with her, and though Gerald never imagined leaving his town, he agrees to make her feel better. Later, he sees her walking away from the PEC Center alone and is concerned that she is by herself in a bad part of town. She’s been crying so he offers her a ride despite Roger’s caution against him pursuing relationships while in anger management. He asks where she is going, and she replies, “Nowhere” (112). When he asks to join her there, she laughs and feels better.

Hannah invites Gerald to a friend’s house on Franklin Street, which is known for being dangerous and filled with crack houses and dive bars. At the house, Gerald meets Ashley and Nathan, a beautiful, loving couple who are hospitable towards him. Noting that Hannah’s friends seem “too mellow” (118), he determines that there is something not completely right about them.