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“The dad scrolled through his daughter’s Instagram account, looking for clues.”

Not only does this opening line provide the story’s plot, but it also sets the tone. “The dad,” a nameless character defined only by his relationship with his daughter, is characterized as someone on a mission to get to know his daughter. In not providing character names at the onset, the dad and his daughter are instantly universal—they are representatives of their respective positions and generational divide. While Ivy is named, Dave is “the dad” until the very end of the story, illustrating the alienation he feels from his child.

“The next photo was a close-up of a shop window. Inside the window glowed a pink neon sign spelling out the word warm in lowercase letters. The glowing word took up most of the frame: it was impossible to tell what sort of store it was.”

The lack of context in Ivy’s Instagram post is confusing to her dad, which symbolizes how disconnected he feels. He doesn’t know what store is pictured, and the aesthetic details that attract Ivy are lost on him. He knows he is supposed to derive meaning from these photos, but he cannot figure out what the meaning is.

“It made a kind of music, the wheel spinning and her talking.”

Dave is sitting in the waiting room listening to his daughter engage in vibrant conversation with her physical therapist. He feels disconnected, wondering why his daughter, who was so silent in the car, is now so animated.