Michigan, 1982 - Thursday
Lindsay had gone home for a few days. She was on break from workshops, so she knew it was a good time for a trip home. She missed her friends and, though she would not admit it, her family.
Things had been mostly normal during the near week she had been home. She spent time with her friends like usual. Dinners with the family were mostly the same. She, her parents, and Sam at the dinner table was not out of the ordinary. It was the same chicken or meat loaf, something her mother still had not changed up all that much. It felt like home...except for one thing. Her dad was quieter than usual. He didn't complain as much. He almost seemed to be a little depressed. Lindsay didn't dare ask about it, but she knew something was up.
She finally found out what was going on when she returned home today after hanging with her friends at one of their meeting places. She was in her room, trying to decide which of her records she wanted to listen to, when she heard the front door slam. Her dad had returned from work and seemed extra agitated. She couldn't help eavesdrop on the conversation he was having with her mom.
"I don't know how much longer I can keep it open, Jean," Harold said, sounding very defeated. "The mall is too much competition..."
Lindsay frowned. She had no idea business had been slow at the sporting goods store. She knew a new mall had recently opened, but she didn't know how much it was hurting her dad's business.
"Is there anything that can be done?" Jean asked in response.
Lindsay decided that was a good time to stop listening. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer to that. Not at that moment, at least.
Later on, she wandered out into the living room where her dad was just staring off into space.
"Dad...can I do anything?" she asked quietly, taking a seat on the couch.
"Everything will be okay," he replied. "You just go back to school. There's nothing for you to worry about."
Obviously, he knew that she knew what was going on.
"Are you sure?"
"You shouldn't eavesdrop, Lindsay," Harold told her. "Nixon tried that. You know what happened to him?"
"Okay, I get it," she sighed. "Want some ice cream?"
Harold actually smiled. "Sounds good."
She returned a few minutes later with two bowls and stayed out to watch television with him. Though neither of their minds were on the repeat episode of Charlie's Angels.
Lindsay was worried about her dad. The store was his life, and now he was possibly pondering an early retirement. She had a feeling things were going to change financially soon.
The economy wasn't much better in the future either.
[Based on something alluded to in one of the later episodes; Also, NFB and NFI due to being off island.]
Things had been mostly normal during the near week she had been home. She spent time with her friends like usual. Dinners with the family were mostly the same. She, her parents, and Sam at the dinner table was not out of the ordinary. It was the same chicken or meat loaf, something her mother still had not changed up all that much. It felt like home...except for one thing. Her dad was quieter than usual. He didn't complain as much. He almost seemed to be a little depressed. Lindsay didn't dare ask about it, but she knew something was up.
She finally found out what was going on when she returned home today after hanging with her friends at one of their meeting places. She was in her room, trying to decide which of her records she wanted to listen to, when she heard the front door slam. Her dad had returned from work and seemed extra agitated. She couldn't help eavesdrop on the conversation he was having with her mom.
"I don't know how much longer I can keep it open, Jean," Harold said, sounding very defeated. "The mall is too much competition..."
Lindsay frowned. She had no idea business had been slow at the sporting goods store. She knew a new mall had recently opened, but she didn't know how much it was hurting her dad's business.
"Is there anything that can be done?" Jean asked in response.
Lindsay decided that was a good time to stop listening. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer to that. Not at that moment, at least.
Later on, she wandered out into the living room where her dad was just staring off into space.
"Dad...can I do anything?" she asked quietly, taking a seat on the couch.
"Everything will be okay," he replied. "You just go back to school. There's nothing for you to worry about."
Obviously, he knew that she knew what was going on.
"Are you sure?"
"You shouldn't eavesdrop, Lindsay," Harold told her. "Nixon tried that. You know what happened to him?"
"Okay, I get it," she sighed. "Want some ice cream?"
Harold actually smiled. "Sounds good."
She returned a few minutes later with two bowls and stayed out to watch television with him. Though neither of their minds were on the repeat episode of Charlie's Angels.
Lindsay was worried about her dad. The store was his life, and now he was possibly pondering an early retirement. She had a feeling things were going to change financially soon.
The economy wasn't much better in the future either.
[Based on something alluded to in one of the later episodes; Also, NFB and NFI due to being off island.]