sabotage

Saboteur identified.

She ventures on her way home from a long days' work, a long commute on a bus, with no control over the timelyness or lack there of. The electronic leash buzzes again and flashes overwelmingly loud silent messages:

"Where are you?"

on the bus.

"What's for dinner?"

roast

"What roast?"

the 1 left to put in crock cuz i have ww tonite

"It's in the fridge."

no one started it?

"So what's for dinner?"

i'll figure it out when i get home


Three quarters of an hour passes, a short nap later. The electronic leash buzzes again and her chest gets tight.

"Where are you?"

not quite to town

"Dinners ready."

good.

"Should we wait for you?"

prolly not. i have ww tonite.

"So are you going to eat with us?"

i'd like to go weigh in

"So are you going to eat with us?"

ww tonite. shouldn't before i weigh in. not had good w-ins lately.

"We'll wait for you."

sure. fine. i'll come home & eat.

In front of her is a heaping plate of food, smothered in gravy. He is hovering nearby...watching her intently. Frowning as she picks at the food on the plate.

Inside she screams. She started attending Weight Watchers with a friend of hers almost two months ago, and has attended meetings every week. Hopeful of successful results around the corner, she keeps going. This routine on this day of the week is not a surprise or unplanned event. Weight Watchers meeting on this same day of the week at the same time. She rises at 3:30 am and before she leaves the house at 4:30 am, she is sure to make sure dinner is ready to be prepared. They know what to do...the crock pot is ready and waiting. Arriving home again at 5:30 pm, she has enough time to run home, change clothes, use the toilet and run back out the door.

It's 6:20 pm. "So are you going to Weight Watchers?" Um, no. I'm already late, she says, despondently. As he turns away, she swears she could see a hint of a smirk of smugness on his face.