Just then the thermostat did notice, and the air-conditioning unit cut
in. Warm air started to blow from the baseboard outlets.
"Bill--"
"Yeah," I answered, trajecting past the chitchat bench and wondering
if by stretching real hard I could reach it on the next trip round and
drag myself to it. Then, if it didn't come unplugged I could ground
(now _that_ was a silly thought!)--I could _stop_ myself and maybe work
out of the living room along the edge of the tacked-down carpet.
"Bill, if Helene doesn't come back, do you think, maybe--"