“Mr.

Vance?” the manager said, in the cool, unhurried voice of a man who has had this conversation before.

“I’m afraid your secondary card has been declined for the outstanding balance of eighteen thousand four hundred dollars.

We’ll need an alternative form of payment immediately.

Otherwise I’ll have no choice but to contact local law enforcement regarding theft of services.”

I take no particular pride in the timing of that, but I will not pretend it wasn’t fitting.

In the space of about ninety seconds, the three of them lost the house they thought they owned, the marriage they thought secured it, and the ability to pay for the lobster in front of them.