In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

22 Four-Year-Old Invents a New Curse Word After Emily Cullen emphatically said “Godshit,” her parents and their friends appropriated it as party conversation. Michael said God would have to shit emeralds and pure light. We said Only a Catholic would ever say that. He said Well then what would all you Sou-thrun Babtis’s say God shits? We said Blood! Thunder! Spears! He said We might be getting somewhere. What, do you suppose, the Presbyterian god would shit? We guessed Bulwarks, canned English peas, committee schedules. He said Not as good. What about the old Hebrew god? We yelled Iron chariots of the Philistines, whirlwinds, fire, fire, rams’ heads, gas vans, Elijah’s mantle, bulrushes! Oh stop, he said: What are some other gods? Someone said The god at the freshman convocation today. What did it shit? We said That one’s a He, too. Treaties, blue blazers, manifest destiny, tobacco ash, triangle sandwiches. Pretty good, Michael said taking over again: What about the science god? We answered quick on that one: Puberty, neutrons, worm gears, fugues, Tang, skin donated for transplants, software. He said You’re mixing up the science god with the engineering god. We said Ethics, space capsules, coffee, PVC hoses, square-root signs. He said Different from the computer god? We said Little electronic beeps, this one’s an It, iClouds, roach parts, a string with glitches, light machine oil, paprika. He said Wow. And thought a minute and said How about a god that’s female? The women said, It’s about time! Korean orphans, rhizomes for swamp iris, leafmould, dogs’ eyes red in the dark, amaretto drinks, pomegranates. Michael said We need a black god in here, as long as we’re doing tokens. We said You racist. He kept on Jesse Jackson’s god, the black reverend’s god? We said Undertakers, quilts, sin’s breakers dashing, brimstone, great altos, fried okra. Are you satisfied? He said 23 Your own, you’re so sure of yourself. What does your own god shit? Rotting father flesh, bigamy, wet tea, a run-over owl, ginger root, burning children, memory. There was a pause of about two beats. He said, Who shits bricks? None of these gods shits bricks? We said, Sara’s mother would if she were still awake. for Michael and Sara Dunne ...

Share