Pete pads softly down the stairs, holding the phone and smiling.

Pete: It’s your mother.

Maybe he’s grimacing.

Tata: What’s up, Mom?
Mom: Remember when – maybe you know – could you help me with something? – I’m not sure how to ask this but – when you were in the garage – perhaps the cat – the garage door clicker is still missing and – Tom says he told you –
Tata: He told me to pick up the gray thing and press the button. I picked up the gray thing, pressed the button and put it back on the shelf next to the macaroni.
Mom: It’s catfood. Did you by any chance – while you were walking around –
Tata: No. It was missing while we were still there. He asked me this question before we left Cape Cod and I told him the same thing. He was there and watched me put it back next to the macaroni and catfood. I never touched it again.
Mom: So you didn’t pick it up and walk around and forget about it?
Tata: Nope. Look under the stairs, okay?
Mom: Under the stairs! I’ll do that. I don’t know why we didn’t think of that.
Tata: Me, neither. Look behind the catfood macaroni while you’re there, huh?

When that fails, Radio Shack opens at 9 a.m.