HEY, DOLORES!

RAINBOW:EXCUSE ME, SIR. I WASN’T PAYING ATTENTION.

CURIOUS

GEORGE:THAT’S OK. YOU LOOK FAMILIAR. WHAT’S YOUR NAME?

RAINBOW:RAINBOW DECOLORES. TABLE OF LOVE.

C.G…RAINBOW DECOLORES??? THAT’S AN ODD NAME FOR A LITTLE GIRL.

HOW ON EARTH DID YOUR PARENTS COME UP WITH A NAME LIKE “RAINBOW”?

R…….OH, THEY CHANGED IT LAST YEAR. IT USED TO BE DOLORES.

C.G…WHAT POSSESSED THEM TO DO THAT?

R……WELL… (looking around)…I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO TELL, BUT …THEY BELONG TO SOME “SECRET” ORGANIZATION AT CHURCH AND…BOY! HAVE THEY BEEN FREAKED OUT LATELY! I’M A METHODIST, YOU KNOW; I MEAN, I THOUGHT I WAS; BUT NOW I’M NOT SURE SINCE THEY WENT ON THIS “HIKE TO A MASS” OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT’S A CATHOLIC SERVICE, ISN’T IT?

C.G…I GUESS SO…HEY, BY THE WAY, YOU LOOK A LITTLE UNDERNOURISHED.

IS SOMETHING WRONG? AND WHAT ARE THOSE UGLY STAINS ON YOUR

FINGERS?

R…IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF THAT THERE “HIKE TO A MASS”. MY PARENTS WENT,

YOU KNOW. AND ALL WE EVER EAT ANY MORE IS BREAD AND GRAPE JUICE. AND GET THIS…WE CAN’T EVEN EAT AND DRINK IT RIGHT. WE HAVE TO BREAK THE BREAD AND THEN DUNK IT INTO THE GRAPE JUICE. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ANYTHING THAT CRAZY??? THAT’S HOW I GOT THESE UGLY PURPLE STAINS.

C.G…THAT’S STRANGE, ALL RIGHT. BUT WHY IS YOUR ARM BANDAGED?

R…OH, I GOT BURNED. YOU KNOW, WE GOT CANDLES ALL OVER THE PLACE! WHY YESTERDAY, GOOD OLD DAD SPILLED WAX ALL OVER MY ARM WHEN HE KNOCKED OVER A CANDLE.

C.G…WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK ABOUT ALL THIS?

R…FRIENDS? WHAT FRIENDS? I DON’T HAVE ANY FRIENDS. WELL, I USED TO, BUT THEY ALL THOUGHT MOM AND DAD WERE WEIRD.

C.G…BUT WHY?

R…WELL…YOU KNOW…NORMAL PEOPLE SHAKE HANDS WHEN THEY SEE EACH OTHER; BUT NOT MY MOM AND DAD. NOOOOO…THEY HAVE TO HUG EVERYBODY. AND I MEAN EVERYBODY!

C.G…GEE, THAT’S REALLY TOUGH, KID. SAY…IS THAT A CHICKEN FEATHER ON YOUR SHOULDER?

R…(Shaking head “No”) WELL…YEAH…I MIGHT AS WELL BE CHICKEN LITTLE FOR ALL THEY CARE. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS? THEY SOLD MY DOG AND BOUGHT THIS STUPID ROOSTER. GOSH, WHAT A MESS HE MAKES IN THE HOUSE!

C.G…GEE, IT’S GETTING LATE! SHOULDN’T YOU BE GETTING HOME?

R…NAH…MOM AND DAD NEVER KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS ANYWAY. THEY THREW ALL THE CLOCKS AND WATCHES AWAY!

C.G…WELL, I’VE GOT TO BE GOING. BY THE WAY, WHAT WAS THAT SONG YOU WERE SINGING BEFORE YOU BUMPED INTO ME?

R…(Thinking and trying to remember) …OH…THAT SONG! IT WAS ABOUT A NEW PET ROOSTER. GET THIS…A ROOSTER WITH A NAME LIKE DOLORES. ANYWAY, IT GOES LIKE THIS. HEY, DOLORES, HEY, DOLORES. CLEAN UP ALL YOUR OLD PIO, PIO, PIO, PIO, PIO, PI !!!