Tuesday, 6:00 p.m.
Karen arrives home after tutoring at the library.
Parking in the street, she gets out of the car, in the dark, ready to take the trash barrel from the back yard to the curb.
As she crosses the street, she notices a dark sinister shape standing on the curb in front of the house...
Karen retreats to her car, starting the engine and pulling into the driveway, to park for the night.
Tuesday, still, 6:03 p.m.
Karen enters the livingroom. The six o'clock evening news is blaring at full-force. Mom and Dad don't even hear her enter.
Mom turns from the t.v. and clutches her heart, giving a little "yip".
Mom: You scared me! We didn't even hear you come in the house!
Karen: I told you I would be back by six p.m.
Dad: We didn't hear the door and the dog didn't bark...
(Dog is smiling, on the floor, wagging her tail, looking up at me.)
Karen: Dad, who put the trash on the curb? I told you I would do it after I got home, tonight!
Dad: Well, it was still in the backyard and I wasn't doing anything, so I just took it down.
Mom: Jim, I don't want you going down the steep driveway with the trash--the girls can take it down!
Dad: I didn't want to wait...
They both redirect attention to the blaring newscast: TEMPERATURES RISING TO THE FIFTIES, TOMORROW, THIRTY DEGREE RISE FROM MONDAY, ACCOMPANIED BY INCREASING FOG....
Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., Fogbank in back yard.
Karen comes down for breakfast.
Dad is watching morning news in livingroom.
Mom is upstairs in her bedroom, getting ready for the day.
Dog is sitting by the kitchen table, waiting for Karen, wagging her tail.
Karen reads morning news. Feeds dog biscuits. Drinks coffee.
Dad comes in for more coffee and cookies for himself. Mom turns on shower, upstairs.
No one says a thing about trash, cars, weather, etc.
Karen goes back to newspaper.
Mail arrives.
Karen sorts mail for family, leaving various piles on the kitchen table.
All is quiet. Karen finishes paper.
Dad meanders into kitchen for more cookies. Comments on squirrels in backyard and rising puddles on the unfrozen lawn.
Dog begs to go outside.
Karen takes dog out; waits for dog. Dad watches from pantry window, smiling.
Karen takes dog in; wipes four paws, belly, tail and replenishes dog bowl.
Still no sign or word from mother, upstairs.
It is now 10:30 a.m.
Karen rises from table.
Goes down cellar to take up laundry from laundry room.
Passes mother on stairs, says "Good morning".
Karen goes upstairs to put laundry away.
Karen turns on computer to begin writing.
Suddenly, there is much hollaring and screaming of her name from downstairs.
Karen opens bedroom door and asks" What?!!!"
Mother: (Screaming), I'm leaving right now!!! You have to move your car!! I've got to leave right this minute!!! You are parked in front of the garage doors!!!!
Karen rushes downstairs, grabs keys (amid screams and shouts). Dog is barking. Karen runs into wet fog.
(And so it goes.)
Karen arrives home after tutoring at the library.
Parking in the street, she gets out of the car, in the dark, ready to take the trash barrel from the back yard to the curb.
As she crosses the street, she notices a dark sinister shape standing on the curb in front of the house...
Karen retreats to her car, starting the engine and pulling into the driveway, to park for the night.
Tuesday, still, 6:03 p.m.
Karen enters the livingroom. The six o'clock evening news is blaring at full-force. Mom and Dad don't even hear her enter.
Mom turns from the t.v. and clutches her heart, giving a little "yip".
Mom: You scared me! We didn't even hear you come in the house!
Karen: I told you I would be back by six p.m.
Dad: We didn't hear the door and the dog didn't bark...
(Dog is smiling, on the floor, wagging her tail, looking up at me.)
Karen: Dad, who put the trash on the curb? I told you I would do it after I got home, tonight!
Dad: Well, it was still in the backyard and I wasn't doing anything, so I just took it down.
Mom: Jim, I don't want you going down the steep driveway with the trash--the girls can take it down!
Dad: I didn't want to wait...
They both redirect attention to the blaring newscast: TEMPERATURES RISING TO THE FIFTIES, TOMORROW, THIRTY DEGREE RISE FROM MONDAY, ACCOMPANIED BY INCREASING FOG....
Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., Fogbank in back yard.
Karen comes down for breakfast.
Dad is watching morning news in livingroom.
Mom is upstairs in her bedroom, getting ready for the day.
Dog is sitting by the kitchen table, waiting for Karen, wagging her tail.
Karen reads morning news. Feeds dog biscuits. Drinks coffee.
Dad comes in for more coffee and cookies for himself. Mom turns on shower, upstairs.
No one says a thing about trash, cars, weather, etc.
Karen goes back to newspaper.
Mail arrives.
Karen sorts mail for family, leaving various piles on the kitchen table.
All is quiet. Karen finishes paper.
Dad meanders into kitchen for more cookies. Comments on squirrels in backyard and rising puddles on the unfrozen lawn.
Dog begs to go outside.
Karen takes dog out; waits for dog. Dad watches from pantry window, smiling.
Karen takes dog in; wipes four paws, belly, tail and replenishes dog bowl.
Still no sign or word from mother, upstairs.
It is now 10:30 a.m.
Karen rises from table.
Goes down cellar to take up laundry from laundry room.
Passes mother on stairs, says "Good morning".
Karen goes upstairs to put laundry away.
Karen turns on computer to begin writing.
Suddenly, there is much hollaring and screaming of her name from downstairs.
Karen opens bedroom door and asks" What?!!!"
Mother: (Screaming), I'm leaving right now!!! You have to move your car!! I've got to leave right this minute!!! You are parked in front of the garage doors!!!!
Karen rushes downstairs, grabs keys (amid screams and shouts). Dog is barking. Karen runs into wet fog.
(And so it goes.)
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