Tommy Boy's Grounded

Desperate for a job, Tommy Boy has become a wheeler and dealer in dumpster goods. This has secured his living quarters for the past couple of years. After studying the habits of four different grocery stores, he knows when they throw out their produce, meat, floral, bakery, dairy products, frozen goods and anything else a grocery store throws away. He’s “Johnny on the Spot” using Nancy’s car to haul the “goods” home the minute they hit the dumpster.

To accommodate all the food Tommy Boy brings home, Nancy has a freezer and a refrigerator in her living room, a refrigerator in the garage and one in her kitchen. The food was pouring in and the system was working, keeping Nancy and other family members well stocked until... Tommy Boy apparently started needing drug money. He slowed way down on the amount of goods he was bringing home. Nancy is sure that he’s selling his loot to the less fortunate and keeping the money for himself. Using Nancy’s vehicle and gas for his little side jobs doesn’t fare well with her.

To show Tommy Boy who is in control, Nancy has grounded him. Since he has spare keys to her car and her truck, she parked the truck at someone's house and left the car at a repair shop. She said she had to go and BUY another clunker just to keep him from having transportation. She even sleeps with the keys so he can’t sneak and duplicate them, like he did the other keys. She told M that, "The cops want his butt real bad and I'll do anything to further their cause."

In her frustration, Nancy’s been seeking advice from another ex-con, Mr. Burb. He and Tommy Boy seem to have some past associations. Mr. Burb warned her to keep an eye on Tommy Boy. M told Nancy that the warning is like “the pot calling the kettle black!” Nancy replied, “You know you have to be careful when the likes of someone like Mr. Burb tells you to be watching out for someone like Tommy Boy.” It doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out!