1998.6 - Excerpt

9/12 a shadow solidifies in the mist. The beach perfect in size and shape a half moon with white white sand. The sloop tacks struggling into the harbormouth wallowing in the swell a jagged open wound on its front port side. Skipper sends them up the bay on a close beat bow bobbing through the chop while he hauls in sail slicker shining. It's just dawn. They're struggling into the island. Skipper grounds onto the beach heads up as he drops the main halyard Skipper handles the jibsheet as they come about. He topples over the side of the boat lithe like a monkey one arm clutching the rail. His body extends far enough so he can drop. Skipper throws the anchor his way he pulls it far up along the beach.

Welcome to your island says Skipper your feet hit it first I'll get the others from below throws him an emergency kit.

What's this for he says.

For emergencies Skipper says annoyed his eyes rolling.

What emergencies he says.

I don't know what emergencies Skipper says his arms flying up you'll know them when you see them he thinks of another question not a good one but a question enough to create a dialogue. He doesn't ask it it isn't the time. How does he know you ask. You intuit. That's how you do it.

5/16 The Wife's going to cancel cable they only watch a couple hours a night she says and it's the free stuff. She bends over her checkbook paying bills. It's Sunday. The evening is warm and muggy. The Wife's said a dozen times she's going to cancel cable The Wife hasn't canceled cable. Working all day on the weekdays she doesn't have time to call the cable company arrange an appointment be at home for the (un)installer's visit a weekend cancellation is out of the question. If anyone is going to arrange a cancellation it's going to be him when The Wife says she's going to cancel cable he nods in agreement he doesn't agree really.

Have some iced tea. It's got ginger in it.

It's fifty dollars a month for something we don't use she rips out a finished check slowly a few paper teeth at a time he's in the kitchen but still he hears it.

He sets the iced tea next to her lays his hands on her shoulders. He presses down working his fingers into her muscles. Fifty dollars is ridiculous he says let's cancel it. I'll call tomorrow morning.

Good she says she relaxes she leans into him. Lets out a breath she's been expecting an argument not a passionate defense of the value of cable more an insinuation that they do watch cable more than she's implied a reminder that movies on HBO are cheaper than movies at the theater a mention of Lifetime The Channel for Women. The Wife had been expecting an argument she would have had answers. He's done the right thing agreeing but he's not going to cancel cable. He's going to forget his promise if the issue is pressed he'll fabricate (un)installation meetings that are for one reason or another canceled forgotten missed. He's not a sneaky person this is not sneakiness it's just part of a plot. Isn't it. He's seen it done in comedies especially it happens always in farces everything from Three's Company to Frasier harmless scheming one character against the other it's only a matter of some small desire misdeed misbehavior pursued in secret it always gets found out resolved a happy ending ha ha. But not before the one character gets his way over another at least for a while. No big deal. Is it. He doesn't feel well he knows life isn't like tv he's a grown man he's not so stupid. Then again it's all just fiction tv life so why can't the one be like the other. Maybe he's too smart maybe he can talk himself into anything. It doesn't matter. The topic of cancelling tv won't come up again at least not for a while if it does he'll figure something out he'll have to because he doesn't watch just a couple of hours of tv a night he watches a lot more than that he can't do without the flintstones mary tyler moore bob newhart the partridge family the monkees st. elsewhere the brady bunch l.a. law thirtysomething talk soup magnum p.i. hawaii five o win ben stein's money south park the tick the kids in the hall battlestar galactica northern exposure the six million dollar man bonanza gilligan's island.