Chapter 1: Monday

Bertrand navigated the streets from the bakery to his building and, 
once in, forced himself up the neglected stairs to his own floor.  He 
had bought a small loaf of bread for his lunch, and he tucked it under 
his arm while he dug out his key and put it into the lock.  But to his 
surprise, the door was already unlocked, and his wife Marie was inside.
She had picked up their little one Isaac from the baby-sitter's and 
was feeding him from a bottle.

Marie was wearing one of the flattering dresses that she reserved for days
when she was seeing her "friend" Jacob.  She eyed the silver briefcase 
that Bertrand had brought the previous day.  "We need to get out of 
this...place."  Bertrand appreciated that she resisted using "hole," 
which was her usual term for the apartment.  "But buying into your dealer 
friend's business is not going to solve our problems.  You need to step 
up with a better plan than that -- one that's not a felony."

Bertrand cut off half of his bread for Marie and ate his piece without 
any butter or conversation.  Without further talk he took the briefcase 
under his arm and made his way to the train station, where he got on the 
train for the suburbs.  At the next stop, his "dealer friend" Alexander 
boarded and without any greeting, took a position nearby, putting 
his own silver briefcase on the floor next to Bertrand's.  At the third 
stop, Bertrand exited the train, taking Alexander's briefcase and leaving 
his own.  He crossed to the other track and waited for the train home.  
While he waited Bertrand had time to think about how tolerant Alexander 
had been with his indecision and amateurism.  

Marie was still home when he returned.  He set the briefcase on the table 
near her and she examined it warily for a few seconds before opening 
it and looking inside.  After just a brief last look at Isaac and the 
"hole," she made up her mind.  She packed a bag with a few things she 
would want until she got settled at Jacob's and left. 


Chapter 2: Tuesday 

Bertrand navigated the streets from the bakery to his building and, 
once in, forced himself up the neglected stairs to his own floor.  He 
had bought a small loaf of bread for his lunch, and he tucked it under 
his arm while he dug out his key and put it into the lock.  But to his 
surprise, the door was already unlocked, and his wife Marie was inside.
She had picked up their little one Isaac from the baby-sitter's and 
was feeding him from a bottle.

Marie was wearing one of the flattering dresses that she reserved for days
when she was seeing her "friend" Jacob.  She eyed the silver briefcase 
that Bertrand had brought the previous day.  "We need to get out of 
this...place."  Bertrand appreciated that she resisted using "hole," 
which was her usual term for the apartment.  "But buying into your dealer 
friend's business is not going to solve our problems.  You need to step 
up with a better plan than that -- one that's not a felony."

Bertrand cut off half of his bread for Marie and ate his piece without 
any butter or conversation.  Without further talk he took the briefcase 
under his arm and made his way to the train station, where he got on the 
train for the suburbs.  At the next stop, his "dealer friend" Alexander 
boarded and without any greeting, took a position nearby, putting 
his own silver briefcase on the floor next to Bertrand's.  At the third 
stop, Bertrand exited the train, taking Alexander's briefcase and leaving 
his own.  He crossed to the other track and waited for the train home.  
While he waited Bertrand had time to think about how tolerant Alexander 
had been with his indecision and amateurism.  

Marie was still home when he returned.  He set the briefcase on the table 
near her and she examined it warily for a few seconds before opening 
it and looking inside.  After just a brief last look at Isaac and the 
"hole," she made up her mind.  She packed a bag with a few things she 
would want until she got settled at Jacob's and left.