A sinking couch. Cushions with blood stains on them. Holes from cigarettes. Pillows with light towers on them. They sit, weighing their options.

The caged hamster runs on a wheel. Woodchips fly, bouncing off glass. A dog barks in the kitchen, begging for a full bowl. An owl in the tree sings the same old notes. She gets up and pours herself a beer with ice in the glass. The old lady listens to the symphony. She pets the dog and goes back to the couch.

Where’s mine? He asks.

You can get it, she tells him. Besides, I didn’t know you wanted one. Gotta speak up in this world.

Should have assumed, he says. All these years. You should have known. The hamster runs faster. The owl hoots louder. The dog moans.

He gets up off the couch and walks over to the refrigerator, humming loudly. He kicks it in the side. Damn thing, he says. Never quiet in here. Always a racket. He grabs a Miller. Pops it open with a butter knife sitting on the counter.

It’s in the drawer, she yells.

What? He asks. What are you talking about?

The bottle opener, she yells louder.

I got it, he screams.

Never mind, she says.

She turns on the television. Lawrence Welk is on. She turns up the volume and watches as Bobby and Cissy dance a waltz. Cissy’s wearing a lovely chiffon dress, and Bobby looks dapper in his blue tuxedo. The old lady looks on in awe. The old dog barks again.

Feed it, he says. Just feed him. He’s hungry.

He ate an hour ago, she says loudly; over the owl hooting, the hamster running, the dog barking, and Lawrence Welk conducting the orchestra. Which do you like better? She asks. Lawrence Welk or Mitch Miller?

I hate them both, he states. Always have.

And you think you know somebody she tells him. There is silence between the two. Cicadas add to the music. They look away from each other. He leaves her on the couch and goes outside, slamming the door behind him.

There’s a man playing an accordion on TV. It squeaks and hums. He fingers the keys swiftly. The old lady moves her head back and forth while the hamster runs, the owl hoots, the dog barks, the cicadas sing, and the refrigerator hums.