Overheard at the Cash Register

by Rebekah Sue Harris

Oh my God, did you see that woman SMACK that old, helpless man? She's still screaming at him and she's got no manners whatsoever! We know what we're talking about, even though we didn't know that he's been missing for forty minutes, panicking his wife and that horrid daughter who just tried to shove him away from the candy and toward his wheelchair and oxygen. We know that HE is the victim, even though we don't know that he took off his oxygen and snuck off to buy physician-forbidden candy. We don't care that the helpless old man is stronger than his wife and daughter, and that he's physically attacked them, even though they love him and are trying to take care of him. We know what we saw, so call the police.

6S

Rebekah Sue Harris is the editor of Modified News and the author of Clutching Fear. She has a great family, a laptop named Floyd, hundreds of books, dozens of tattoos, a full-sized tricycle, chronic pain, and a cat named Heyboy. One or all of these will be the death of her.