"You didn't defrost the meat." Dot's voice barged through the walls. "What do we do now? Put it in the microwave?" They did not own a microwave. Their parents thought them an unnecessary contrivance. "Damn you, Cassie. I'm going to buy a microwave and put you in it and watch you mutate." Dot was by Cassie's bed now. Cassie rolled onto the floor. She felt as dizzy and banged as if she had rolled down a grassy hillock. She elbowed her way out of the room, Army-tactic-style, and slammed the bedroom door on Dot.

In the kitchen she filled the sink with hot water and held the freezer bag with ice-crusty meat in it. The water cooled after a long time. Cassie filled the sink with more hot water, but she weighted down the meat with a skillet. Later she made a meat loaf and Dot made a salad.