Candlelight casting shadows on walls. Blinds pulled back, letting in darkness. A radio station plays Charlie Parker. The speaker sounds like a tin can. A cat rubs up against his legs.

He wants to call her. Wonders if she would pick up. What’s she doing now? He asks himself. Who is she with? Some younger guy? She never looked her age.

Water bugs crawl on the counter. The kitchen sink is clogged. He pulls down a glass from a shelf and fills it halfway with whiskey. The cat purrs.

Where is she living? He takes a sip. She was always ambitious. Constantly pursuing news labels. Better pay. A new position. Luxury cars. More… more… more…She read Dale Carnegie.

It’s three in the morning. She’s lying in bed next to someone. A lawyer or some kind of executive. She competes with him. A game. Her marriage is a game, he whispers. One thing is certain. She’s winning.