The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 22

Balanced Very C arfully, As If the Whole thing Might Topple When the Heater Vents Begin to Blow Later This crepusculeFrom the root cellar, I hear my dad say, It goes right here, on this table. Three sets of foot move are moving across the family-room floor, and soon I hear something heavy macrocosm set down. After fifteen minutes or so, the sounds of college football start out through the floor above big bands being, drums galore, fight songs being strain and I realize my acquire has replaced the family-room picture. I hear the deliverymens footsteps exit, and then dad increases the volume so I can hear every play call the commentators make, raze though I am in the basement and the basement door is shut. I dont follow college football, so I dont rightfully k flat the players or the teams being discussed.I do some curls and merely listen, secretly hoping Dad will come down into the basement, tell me slightly the new television, and ask me to watch the game with him. But he doesnt.Suddenly, mayhap a half hour after the deliverymen leave, the volume is turned down, and I hear Mom ask, What the hell is this?Its a high-definition television with surround sound, my acquire replies.No, that is a movie screen, and Jeanie Dont you Jeanie me.I work hard for our money, and I wont confine you telling me how to spend it vomit uprick, its ridiculous. It doesnt even fit on the end table. How a great deal did you pay for that?Never mind.You smashed the old television just so you could vitiate a bigger one, didnt you?Jesus Christ, Jeanie. Will you please collar bitching at me for once?Were on a budget. We agreed Oh. Okay. Were on a budget.We agreed that We have money to feed Pat. We have money to buy Pat a new wardrobe. We have money to buy Pat a home gym. We have money for Pats medications. Well then, the way I see it, we have money for a new fucking television set too.I hear my mothers footsteps exit the family room. Just before my father turns up the game again, I hear her stomp up the steps to her bedroom, where I know she will cry because my father has cursed at her again.And its my fault their money is stretched.I feel awful.I do sit-ups on the Stomach Master 6000 until it is time to run with Tiffany.When I finally go upstairs, I see that Dads television set is one of those new flat-screen models they advertize when we watched the Eagles play Houston, and it is literally almost the size of our dining-room table. Its huge provided the center third succours on the end table, making it look as if it is balanced very carefully, as if the whole thing might tumble when the heater vents begin to blow later this fall. Even still, while I do feel bad about Mom, I have to hold that the picture quality is excellent and the speakers set up on stands slowly the hurtle fill the house with sound, making it seem as though the college football game is being played in our family room and I start to look forward to watching the Eagles o n the new set, cerebration the players will almost appear life-size.I stand behind the couch for a second, admiring my fathers new television, hoping he will acknowledge my presence. I even say, Dad, did you get a new television?But he doesnt help me.He is mad at my mom for questioning his purchase, so now he will sulk. He will not talk to anyone for the rest of the day, I know from experience, so I leave the house and convalesce Tiffany jogging up and down the street.Tiffany and I run together, but we do not talk.When I return home, Tiffany keeps jogging without even saying goodbye, and as I jog up the driveway to the back door, Mothers car is gone.