Breakfast on Pluto

“I can just imagine the reaction of my old acquaintances if they saw me now, sitting here in my silly old coat and headscarf—off out that door and down the Kilburn High Road with the lot of them, no doubt! Still, no point in complaining—after all, every beauty has to lose her looks sometime and if the gold-digging days of poor old darling poo poo puss are gone for ever, well then, so be it. I ain’t gonna let it bother me, girls!”

The author introduces the protagonist, Patrick Braden, and immediately vests him with slightly skewed diction, thus indicating his unique worldview from the outset. Additionally, McCabe leads us headfirst into Braden’s world of transvestism and transgenderism by removing traditional mediating devices of storytelling and allowing us to “inhabit” the space of his protagonist. This achieves the effect of readers’ immediate immersion in the highly specific existence of Braden, allowing us to experience his feelings.

“‘Look at Braden the eejit dressed up as a woman!’

Which I rarely was, to be honest with you—although not from lack of desire!—and made do mostly with a pearl necklace or one of Charlie’s mother’s blouses. Still—it was better than nothing! And sometimes she’d bring out a perfume spray to squirt all around the hut and make it smell just fabulous! ‘Nothing like perfume for taking all your cares away!’ I’d say and do a twirl. ‘If this doesn’t stop,’ Irwin said, ‘I’m quitting the gang!’”

Growing up in a very small Irish Catholic community, Braden faces a lack of understanding, derision, and violence. However, the indomitable nature of his spirit is present from his childhood, as he feels no compunction when exploring the boundaries of his gender identity. Even though his friend Irwin proclaims his disgust with Braden’s behavior, he is one the few people and the only male friend from Tyreelin who does not reject Braden because of his behavior. Charlie and Irwin represent the only sense of safety and belonging young Braden experiences, and Charlie even provides the tools with which Braden can explore his gender.