Chapter 15

In the lamplight Roger read a book about model shipbuilding.

Though Roger's work centered around computers and the internets, he enjoyed cracking a good book and feeling the stiff paper against his fingertips.

Roger had found this book at a neighbor's garage sale and snatched it up for just fifty cents. It was worn and old, but books on things like model shipbuilding don't exactly go obsolete.

Across the room the tv played SportsCenter reruns quietly every twenty minutes. Roger had already seen the latest sports news twice and hadn't been paying attention during the last three rotations. Sadly, there was not much news today -- especially at this time in the evening.

Roger closed his book and walked to desk in the corner. He selected two sheets of construction paper from a drawer. On the first he drew a majestic ship in orange and brown crayon. On the second he wrote a note to his coworker Sharon: "Sharon, I apologize for kicking you in the leg."

Roger used a gluestick to affix the two sheets to each other and cut a frilly pattern into the edge of the sheets of paper so they could be intertwined and woven into each other. Indubitably, Sharon would be pleased and forgive him for his earlier transgression.