Bathroom scale

The Bathroom scale, described as a small box in the bathroom, becomes a repeated point of contact between CJ and her distress. The dog narrator calls it the “sad box,” a name drawn from how CJ appears to feel whenever she stands on it.

Use and Repetition

After a strained Christmas period in which CJ and Gloria largely avoid one another, CJ begins eating in her bedroom. Her meals vary widely: sometimes she eats only a tiny amount of vegetables; at other times she has noodles with sauces and cheeses, pizza and chips, or ice cream. After eating, she goes to the bathroom and stands on the scale. The action recurs every few hours, every day, making the object part of a persistent routine rather than an isolated moment.

The “Sad Box”

The dog narrator’s nickname shifts attention from the scale’s ordinary function to the feeling associated with it. The text does not explain what number CJ sees or state what she intends to do by standing on the scale; instead, it emphasizes the pattern and her sadness. The object thus marks a private cycle that continues amid the distance between CJ and Gloria. Against that repeated scene, playing in the snow with Trent and Rocky stands out as the only time CJ seems truly happy.