Two snapper turtles Danny's mother had purchased for him at a local pet store, and which were supposed to live in a tank or an aquarium, were attempting to crawl across her living room carpet while Danny, prostrate, watched them up close, grinning. "I don't want to touch those things," she said. "Put them back in their tank, it's time for dinner."
A man came over for dinner. He tried to make small talk with Danny.
"I heard you got some turtles today, Danny, can I see them?"
Danny's mother had stepped away from the table. Danny didn't say anything, and the man, embarrassed, laughed.
After dinner, the man stayed on in the kitchen with Danny's mother and talked and talked and drank a glass of red wine and talked. When finally he left, Danny's mother came out and sat slumped on the living room sofa and absently watched Danny watching the turtles cross the carpet.