#sandy fishnets

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Sandy (sandy) fishnets (fishnets)

Washed up on the shore

What's she (was she) catching? (catching)

And will she be sore?

With Sandy being both the name of the girl featured in this song/her wearing fishnets, this kinda makes me think that after her death, only her fishnets showed back up on shore. Also, the 'what's she' to 'was she' implies that the girls may have thought she was alive on the sea and catching things to eat, and not just STDs.

Sandy was the prettiest of all

She talked French, she came from Montreal

During chores she never had to help

Sandy got a bed all to herself

This says what it needs to. Because of her favor in the brothel, she was given special treatment— also stated in The Tragic Events of September || that she was the most popular girl. Because of all the 'uncles' she had, she was pampered.

We slept in the trailer to the right

Sandy told us stories late at night

She spoke of ships and sailors

And the sea so big and wide

She had lots of uncles and was

Always tired

Maybe the sea is an escape? Or maybe her 'uncles' tell her pirate stories that she tells to the twins. Either way, her always being tired accounts to her popularity amongst the men that visit her.

Sandy (sandy) fishnets (fishnets)

Washed up on the shore

What's she (was she) catching? (catching)

And will she be sore?

See first paragraph.

How they loved her in those early days

Mrs. Bolger let her go away

All her uncles drove her off to play

We would see them kissing on the lake

In the days when the twins are first taken into Mrs. Bolger's care, Sandy is much more liked, probably due to her being young. The twins also see her being SA'd by her 'uncles', even though they drove her away.

Time went by and Sandy's all grown up

The lines of uncles dwindled and the pirate stories stopped

Then one day Melissa May showed up

And Sandy had to share a bed with us

She's getting older. Because of her aging, the 'uncles' that visit her are less and less frequent— she may also be too tired and depressed to tell the twins stories anymore.

Reinstating that Sandy used to have a bed all to herself, Melissa May forcing Sandy into the twin's bed is showing of her decreasing popularity.

Sandy (sandy) fishnets (fishnets)

Washed up on the shore

What's she (was she) catching? (catching)

And will she be

This trails into a more hopeful, jaunty tone. Going from sore to soaring—

Soaring over the sea?

With the wind in her sails and a knife in her teeth

At the helm of a ship on its way to a distant shore

Bermuda or Thailand, an uncharted island

Sandy, we're all getting older

What will they do with us

When they are through with us?

Sandy, what are we sailing for?

Despite the twins trusting Sandy a bit blindly, due to her being one of the only bits of kindness they're received, they'll gladly sail with her far, far away, but they can't help but be confused. They're most likely used to the abuse they've faced, and since they get beds, clothing, and food, they may not want to leave that.

Christmas morning, 1993

Presents waiting underneath the tree

There's a box for me, a box for me

No gift for poor old Sandy to be seen

Of course, back to her decreasing popularity. The twins, who are most likely a lot less popular, despite their condition, still get a present, since they're making money for Mrs. Bolger.

We found Sandy sobbing quietly

Uncle Gerald said he liked Christine

Mrs. Bolger said she'd have to leave

Three days later she was gone

The day she turned 13

Sandy is scared because she knows what's coming. Girls around the age of the twins have been disappearing, and being that Sandy is 'all grown up', she most likely knows what's going to happen to her.

Uncle Gerald may have been the last uncle that visited Sandy, but he ended up choosing another girl, sealing her fate.