8

Hard Times and the Hope Ahead

Summary for Friday, April 28: Stormy requests help, Addie has her baby, and Doug gets a disturbing letter.

At the office, Stormy reviews some papers. He hears a sound from the back. He grabs a hard hat and goes to investigate. He walks through the back room, sees nothing, and proceeds to the backdoor. Donning the hard hat, he cautiously opens the back door, and looks around the empty alley. He walks back to his desk and sits without removing the hard hat.

Stormy finishes filling out an application for an ad in the newspaper. The heading reads: Seeking Full-time Receptionist--To Start Immediately. He says to himself “It’s time to get back on track.” He puts the application in an envelope.

Doris visits GCC. She remarks how warm it is today and throws her jacket over a chair. Doris sits and tells Stormy that Addie’s baby was born and she named her Hope. Stormy mentions that he’s coming around to the whole healthy juice thing. Stormy goes to the back to change before they go to lunch. Doris leaves her coat and steps out for a cigarette. Once he’s changed, Stormy meets Doris outside and they walk down the street.

At Doug’s Place, Doug wipes down the barstools. He complains about how slow it’s been lately and wonders if things might pick up if he starts selling coffee. Just then an envelope slides under the front door. Doug casually walks over and picks it up. He opens the letter and reads it out loud, “If you want to keep your liquor license, meet me at The Pines in one hour. I know who you are.” Doug flips the letter over. No signature. “No…” he says to himself. Doug locks the door and flips the open sign to closed. At the sink, he crumples the letter and lights it on fire. His eyes look crazed as he watches it burn.