The 6:30 P.M. Butterfly

<p><strong>The 6:30 P.M. Butterfly </strong>is a collection of three stories written by Roger Cody. The main character in each of them is a man named George.</p><p>In the first story George undertakes a long trip to spend a day with his mother who lives in an adult community. She moved there upon realizing that she was unable to live by herself but in her new home she is uncomfortable and unhappy. George’s trip is as full of events as the day spent with his mother. He encounters a lot of colorful characters including among others a taxi driver airport employees and fellow passengers as well as a leaky plane. The characters living in his mother’s adult community are no less colorful yet are painted in different hues.</p><p>The second story takes place in Boston. George arranges piano lessons for his young son. After taking the first lesson the son decides he hates the teacher and stubbornly refuses to continue. George who has been playing the piano all his life decides to take his son’s place and take the lessons himself. He just wants to improve his technique. He practices diligently and is full of enthusiasm yet the insensitive cruel and never satisfied teacher kills George’s desire to continue with the lessons.</p><p>The third story finds George in New York City. He has developed a habit of watching the <em>Nightly Business Report </em>on PBS at 6:30 p.m. Comfortably seated in front of his TV with a glass of Famous Grouse scotch he follows the ups and downs of the stock market. The results of the market affect Geroge’s shopping habits. Up means a more expensive can of tuna; down means the opposite. During one of his supermarket trips he meets an attractive woman in the tuna fish aisle. There is a promise of romance. Yet his obsession with the stock market kills that promise. The 6:30 p.m. <em>Nightly Business Report </em>has become George’s personal butterfly effect.</p>