Lola in the Mirror

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of addiction, death by suicide, child death, and graphic violence.

In Lola’s sketch, Roslyn knits while an elephant rests its trunk over her shoulder. The museum label indicates that the elephant represents power, strength, and memory, traits essential for survival.

Lola wonders what her mother’s final message meant. She assumes that Roslyn will provide necessities and love. Then, Lola remembers how they came to live in the scrapyard and how they met Ros, who people call the Wizard of Oz. Moon Street contains small businesses, as well as government housing and The Well, a drop-in center for the unhoused, the yard of which connects to a church. There is also Ebb ’n’ Flo, run by the criminal Flora Box, who helped Lola and her mom when they arrived. Six years ago, Tinman, the scrapyard owner, found Lola and her mom sleeping in a van behind his shop. When he demanded they leave, Lola’s mom softened him with the story of her Tyrannosaurus Waltz. The Tinman allowed them to stay. Soon after, he permitted other unhoused people, including Charlie Mould and Roslyn, to reside in other abandoned cars.