Nancy McKeon: Jo Polniaczek

Quotes 

• Tootie Ramsey : I never thought this would happen in a million years. What am I going to say to Natalie?

  Blair Warner : There's not much you can say when somebody's father dies.

  Tootie Ramsey : But I can't believe it! I mean I went home with Natalie last month and Dr. Green played Monopoly with us.

  Jo Polniaczek : Sometimes it happens that way, Tootie, real fast.

  Tootie Ramsey : What's Natalie going to do? How's she going to feel on Father's Day?

  Blair Warner : A couple of years ago when I thought I was going to lose my mother, I kept thinking 'Who's going to help me pick out my wedding dress? Who's going to go with me when I register at Tiffany's? Who's going to be there, no matter what?'

• Jo Polniaczek : Blair can I borrow your black liner?

  Blair Warner : Well okay, but I think a soft brown would make you look not as cheap.

  Jo Polniaczek : It's for my bike, I scuffed it. Lucky for me your make up covers everything.

• Natalie Green : The shop is called Edna's Edibles right? So why not make an edible float?

  Jo Polniaczek : That's dumb.

  Tootie Ramsey : Listen to her, all of Natalie's good ideas sound dumb.

• Jo Polniaczek : You know, it's funny, sometimes you get so mad at your folks and you say 'I never want to see you again'. It's real easy to say when you know you will.

  Tootie Ramsey : But it's not fair! Parents are supposed to get old! Really old! They're not supposed to die until you know how to handle it!

• Tootie Ramsey : I've never been to a funeral before.

  Jo Polniaczek : No kidding, I've been to lots of them.

  Blair Warner : One of the fringe benefits of being a Bronx Barbarian.

  Jo Polniaczek : In my neighborhood we didn't have enough money to throw parties, so we got together whenever the situation presented itself.

  Tootie Ramsey : Jo, a funeral is not supposed to be a social event!

  Blair Warner : In my circle, it can be the event of the season. Mother's friend, Bunny, met her 3rd husband at a funeral.

  Tootie Ramsey : Oh that's just tacky!

  Blair Warner : I'll say, she was burying husband number 2 at the time.

• Tootie Ramsey : You know what I don't understand? How come there are no flowers? When somebody dies, people usually send flowers.

  Jo Polniaczek : Not to a shiva house.

  Blair Warner : What's shiva?

  Edna Garrett : Shiva is the Jewish period of mourning, and the family follows certain customs you know, like wearing that black ribbon.

  Jo Polniaczek : Yeah, and there's no music or TV allowed.

  Blair Warner : [sees a sheet draped on the mantle]  I wonder what that is.

  Edna Garrett : It's a mirror, but in a shiva house all the mirrors are covered.

  Blair Warner : Why?

  Jo Polniaczek : Because they're a symbol of vanity, Blair, and they're out of place in a house of mourning.