AT RISE: Two women, Woman One and Woman Two, sit on a bench with a stark white wall behind them.

Woman One: I keep forgetting to forget. Do you ever forget things?

Woman Two: All the time.

Woman One: I get fixated. My therapist told me when I get fixated to take three deep breaths, then count from 10 to 1 in my head. Then turn my body to change my focus. Honestly though, it was so embarrassing when I was in the checkout line at the A&P and the cashier was haphazardly putting the produce on the scale—these fruits and vegetables are delicate! Then the bagger was putting my bananas in the same bag with my milk! I don’t think this was so much one of my obsessions, except for I’m obsessed with having my produce unbruised. I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. But the manager told me I can’t grab the aprons of the employees and admonish them. I tried to tell him that I have rights, too. And if I’m paying $2.99 per pound for bananas…

Woman Two: (Nodding in agreement)

Woman One: …I’m sure as heck not going to stand for them to be damaged at the hands of the employees. Don’t they teach respect for the groceries in their store training? Well anyway, the manager said I couldn’t shop there if I was going to behave like this. So I talked about it with my therapist, and this is what she told me to do, but it was humiliating. The cashier and the bagger were just staring at me. They couldn’t have been older than 20 years old. How could they possibly understand the nuances of personality? Honestly, I don’t know what they teach kids these days.

Woman Two: Well, good for you for trying to control yourself. I don’t like that manager of the A&P with his red apron,wire-rim glasses, and red hair. Does he think he’s better than us just because he towers over us in height?

Woman One: I’m with you on that. And anyway, who calls the police when someone is having a potential breakdown?The police don’t know how to handle it.

Woman Two: I hear you. So, are they charging you?

Woman One: No, of course not. I didn’t break the law.

Woman Two: Yeah, me neither. I only started crying when the bagger dropped the eggs, and they made such a mess, and then a little kid slipped on the gooey eggs and started crying. So I cried. When is it a crime to cry?

A police officer walks over to the two women.

Officer: Please, ladies. I want to apologize on behalf of the Pleasant Valley police station. We have detained the manager of the A&P. Apparently, he’s been pressing charges all week. And it’s against company policy to press fraudulent charges just for a $100 bonus. Apparently, he’s racked up $10,000 this month alone! You ladies are free to go.