Grandma Irene

## Irene

**Irene** is the grandmother Cheese met at the clinic.

## History

### Youth

Irene attended the St. Nicholas Training School with Mabel, Bucky, and Maximus. They were all friends, along with Brownie, who had dropped out. When school got out for the summer, they went to a party, where they did acid together. On their way home, Maximus drove and the others fell asleep. When they woke up, they questioned Maximus about why they'd stopped. When he told them he'd seen an alien, they laughed at him and told him it was just the drugs.

### Meeting Cheese

Irene was at the clinic when Cheese Williams walked past her room. She called out to him, calling him grandson. He tried to tell her he wasn't, but then just decided to play along. She told him she'd like to be home in the country, that she didn't sign up for lying in a hospital bed. Cheese ended up taking her outside in a wheelchair and sitting with her.

### Cheese Leaving

Cheese visited Irene one day to play chess with her and tell her he and his friends were moving to California.

### Cheese's Arrest

A few days after Cheese was arrested and sent to a group home, he got his hands on a phone and called Irene. She was happy to hear from him and warned him not to get too busy for the people who cared about him. He lied and said he was helping Charley with some things.

Later, Irene learned he'd really been arrested when Charley was arrested and took Cheese in as his legal guardian. She and the Rez Dogs, plus Jackie, welcomed him home with "Free Cheese" shirts.

Cheese adjusted well to living with Irene and began spending most of his time with her.

### The Rez Dogs' Return

Irene was among the crowd that welcomed the Rez Dogs home after their trip to California. She hugged Cheese when he got off the bus.

### Camping Trip

When Irene noticed that Cheese had stopped going out with his friends and spent most of his time in his room, she worried about him becoming like Maximus, pushing his friends away. So she called Bucky, Brownie, and Big to take Cheese camping.

### Fixico's Death

Irene was at Elder Breakfast, eating at the same table with Old Man Fixico, Willie Jack, and Wotko. They talked about Willie Jack learning traditional medicine from Fixico and how he wasn't as young as he used to be. They talked about their youth and Irene revealed that they used to hang out together with Mabel and Fixico's cousin, from whom he was estranged for many years. Willie Jack suggested he try to make up, but Irene said he was too stubborn. While they were cleaning up from the breakfast, Fixico collapsed due to a heart attack. Irene and Wotko sat vigil at the hospital while the teens went to find Fixico's cousin so they could make up.

### Fixico's Funeral

When Old Man Fixico died, Irene was one of the many who came to mourn him. She spent the time catching up with Maximus and talking with her old friends.

## Relationships

### Familial

She met Cheese Williams at the IHS clinic when she started calling him grandson. When Cheese was left without an adult to take care of him, she took him in.

### Friendships

Irene was friends with Mabel, Bucky, Maximus, and Brownie, while in high school.

## Notes and Trivia

* As a teen, she aspired to join AIM and march on the steps of the Capitol.

## Appearances

 **#02** | "NDN Clinic"
 **#03** | "Uncle Brownie"

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 House Made of Bongs, 3x05
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 NDN Clinic, 1x02
3. ↑ Satvrday, 1x08
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Stay Gold Cheesy Boy, 2x07
5. ↑ Offerings, 2x09
6. ↑ BUSSIN', 3x01
7. ↑ Frankfurter Sandwich, 3x06
8. ↑ Send It, 3x08
9. ↑ Dig, 3x10