when she first said it , pulled out her full name , frank just chuckled ... the old german-irish poke in the backseat of the car ... his father , himself , german and his mother , irish , always the joke about the backseat , although it was clear from the laughter that it was a joke not in touch with an actual event , merely just a joke reaching for a higher truth : here , that gods ways were so mysterious , baffling ( vengeful ! )