Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations

As a teenager, Mira believes that cool American families get stoned together and have epiphanies about the lives their children want to lead. She finds out from Alison that this is not true, most parents are quite strict in this regard. Mira’s parents are the same and do not see writing as “a real job” (228). A year after Mira gets married, though, they stop lecturing her about her job. Her father has cancer and goes through several rounds of chemo and two surgeries. He is not improving and can barely eat, so Mira suggests he try smoking weed. Her parents both react terribly at first, but Mira begins calling around to people she knows smoke and finally manages to get her hands on some weed. She is able to convince her father to try it when she tells him it will help him eat: “If you eat, Mom will be happy” (234). He agrees, and the next few pages depict a montage of moments entitled, “This Is Your Dad on Drugs” (235). Mira’s father begins eating more, making silly jokes, and marveling at the amazing technology of the internet. One day, he asks Mira if she wants to join him.