Chapter 3: The Ship Shape Summary and Analysis

David and his mother were at a cleaners. A nicely dressed woman in front of them mentioned to the clerk that she had to return to "one" of her homes. David and Sharon couldn't get over what she said. In fact, they repeated it all day long. In the mid-sixties, North Carolina was often referred to as "Variety Vacationland." Them Sedaris family usually went to the beach at Emerald Island for their vacations. It was mainly their mother's idea since their father, Lou, hated to be away from home.

One year, Lou waited too long to get a nice place at the beach and the family was forced to take a rundown rental house. Amy was bitten by a caterpillar and had an allergic reaction. She swelled to a dangerous level and had to be...