Escape in a Box

Tuesday, July 6, 1999

First comes a knock on the door. I jump in startlement to my feet, calling out, "Just a minute!" lest the deliveryman think I'm not home, and my package is taken up to the office, on the hill. In this hot, humid weather, I stay inside; the hills and the blacktop, radiating back even more heat, are the enemy.

I open the door and sign my name, and the box is delivered into my anxious hands. A short stop in the computer room to hop offline, then a beeline to the kitchen, where utility scissors can be found. With a few snips, my box is open, and four companions lie inside, waiting to be read.

It's been a long wait, what with the holiday weekend, but really, the timing couldn't be better. After a moment's hesitation, I choose who will be first, and then it's off to fill the tub, climb in, and let the pages carry me to another place and time.