Cotton, through trial and tribulation, becomes the leader of this tight-knit group, and he sets out to mold his followers into a unit that commands respect rather than derision. His is obviously a formidable task in view of the fragile psychological state of the small group, which includes two warring dysfunctional brothers who are known as "Lally 1" and "Lally 2". Lally 1 reacts to threats against his emotional security by throwing violent temper tantrums, often directed at his younger brother Lally 2, who in the face of these attacks plunges himself into a fantasy world that is filled with tiny creatures he calls "Ooms", and seeks solace in the scorched foam rubber pillow he always carries.