Kip's first wife, Katrina, was afflicted with multiple disorders; one being the scourge of over-glamorous women everywhere, the rest pertaining to the way she preferred cereal boxes and silverware be arranged, especially in others' homes.

They had met in high school, the day after Kip's mother received a terrible burn on the left side of her face in a horrific accident involving the stove, a small dog, and a Dutch apple pie. Her students took to calling her Red, which was short for Red Clam Chowder, which looked a great deal like her face.

Kip never officially asked Katrina out on a date. It, more or less, just happened. When Kip considered the fact for the first time a month after they were wed, he certainly considered it odd - very queer indeed, his exact thoughts being - and mused as to whether the occurrence should make him feel powerful or powerless. Kip was somewhat obsessed with thoughts about power. Not necessarily the thing itself, but the thoughts were addictive, like the KOOL cigarettes his father smoked.

After taking to mind the fact that he hadn't convinced Katrina to eat a light Caesar salad for dinner, he decided on powerless.