The Rent Report

The radio in the Blue Plate kitchen had been on the same station for twenty-two years. Gus said changing the station was bad luck, like changing the oil in the fryer on a Friday. So when the morning program announced, at seven forty on Tuesday, "After the news: rents on Whyte Avenue, two views," Gus heard it while flipping eggs, and he dropped the spatula.

"Daniel," he said. "Record it. On your phone. Every word."

"I can't record the radio, it's…"

"Record it."

Daniel recorded it. That evening, Gus came into the back room at seven o'clock with Daniel's phone, sat down in the broken leather chair, and rolled slowly toward the onions.

"Teacher," he said to Grace. "Tonight, can I be a student? I need help listening to something. With my brain, not with my anger."