This was a very well written story about an elderly couple set in a Maryland gated retirement community.
The story explores the themes surrounding the end of life. The mood is lonely and sad. The author artfully sets the tone by describing the mundane activities with sprinkles of existential angst. It seems that the couple are just going through the motions.
In most ways they are a very typical elderly couple that have lead a good life. They fulfilled all that was expected of them. Now, their children and grand children are very distant and wrapped up in their own lives. Most of their time is spent in the daily routine of meals and light socializing.
When the characters are at the Toga Party, there is a stylistic change to the quick exchanges of a cocktail party. There is good pacing as we see Sam drinking a bit too much, which leads up to him stabbing himself.
The end of the story really ties together the feeling of loneliness as the couple decide to take fate into their own hands and forgo the uncertainty of last stages of life. I loved the ending sentence; “The overhead garage light timed out.”
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