Sedaris is concerned about the tomkeys because he fears that, without television, they won't know what they're supposed to want or how they're supposed to act. What is ironic about the scene where he spies on the family at dinner time?

Mr tomkeys family came for dinner and the first impression the left was how good looking their children were despite the fact that they had no television. But requested for candy on a wrong day which he thought could have been avoided if they had television and the writers mum wanted them to feel as though they have it in stock called his son to bring them out.