Page 40 of Waiting for Gilbert

Gilbert: A breaker won’t help us. Power’s down over here which means it’s a frozen winter everywhere.

Cordelia: There’s ice on the inside of the window. This is bad, yes?

Gilbert: The one you’ve been staring through waiting to see a light from my room?

Cordelia: No comment.

Gilbert: Start a drip in both sinks so our pipes don’t freeze. Then come over here.

Cordelia: We can freeze together!

Gilbert: Or I can start my generator for lights, throw more wood on the fire and you can help hang drywall until they get the power back.

Cordelia: Start your kettle. I’ll bring food.

Gilbert: Need help carrying anything?

Cordelia: You have coffee there?

Gilbert: Decaf instant powder

Cordelia: I think I just threw up in my mouth.

Gilbert: So… no? Is this a BYOC party?

Cordelia: You’re so lucky I’m your neighbor.

Cordelia: French press. Check. Meat and cheese. Check. Crackers. Check.

Cordelia: What are you contributing to this party again?

Gilbert: I have the generator. Shelter. Power. There’s water here.

Gilbert: And I have my own kettle!

Cordelia: I’m bringing my laptop bc I need to work. You’ll have to drywall by your lonesome.

Cordelia: I opened the door and changed my mind. It’s bad out there. Lost-in-the-prairie, find-my-corpse-in-a-haystack-next-summer bad.

Cordelia: I need a rope. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? Tie one end to a post and grope my way to the barn?

Cordelia: Sorry I said grope. That’s gross. Nobody should use that word.

Cordelia: I could bring a candle with me, but the wind is evil.

Cordelia: Where’s a metal pioneer lantern when you need one?

Cordelia: Hey. Watcha doin…?

Cordelia: Red rover, red rover. Send Gilbert right over!

17

CORDELIA

BRENDA LEE—FROSTY THE SNOWMAN

There’s a scraping in the wild outdoors, but I can’t see through the frosted window. I’m bundled tight—wool socks, leggings layered under jeans, shirt, hoodie, coat, gloves, hat, scarf, boots—and have managed to fit all the food stuffs in a canvas bag, and I stashed my laptop and notebook in my massive purse.Phew.

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