It might very well grow into a four-star once I've digested it. Two-thirds through I was pretty much ready to write it off as something wanting to be a Vonnegut piece but without the sting. The story (stories) seemed to lack purpose and an old mans ramblings seemed like just that, an old mans rambling. However in the final third it kind of came together and I caught on to something that might be summed up by the following quote:

Why is life so horrible, Grandpa?
Because it is, that's all. It just is