September

September is the hinge between summer’s temporary arrangements and a colder, narrower routine for Scott Carey. As the season wanes, Louise Carey returns to work, Scott is left in the cellar during the day, and his hours become organized around the possibility of seeing Catherine.

Seasonal Transition

The change begins when summer ends and the teenage girl who had worked at the lake grocery store returns to school. Louise Carey, who had applied for the opening a month earlier, takes the job. She had vaguely expected Scott to look after Beth Carey, but his shrinking has left him barely as tall as Beth’s chest, and he refuses to try to care for her. Louise therefore arranges for a neighborhood girl who has left high school to look after Beth while she works. The new arrangement costs money the household can ill afford, but Louise sees no alternative.

Confinement and the Household Routine

Louise tells Scott that he will have to remain in the cellar during the day so the new caregiver will not discover who he is; at his size, he cannot pass for a child. Scott answers with a shrug and leaves without speaking. The cellar becomes more isolating as September wanes and the days grow colder: Catherine and Beth remain indoors more often, reducing Scott’s chances to see Catherine from outside the house. Rain against the cellar window accompanies his defeated mood, while the whisky bottle he takes from the kitchen becomes part of his retreat there.

September’s Daily Rhythm

Scott’s time in the cellar is increasingly measured by waiting. He brings down a small clock, ostensibly to keep track of the hour, but actually to know when Beth is napping and he can go out. Almost every afternoon at two, after sitting in mounting excitement, he crawls through the cellar window and circles the house, peering over the window sills for Catherine. Seeing her partly or wholly undressed makes the outing feel successful; finding her dressed and occupied sends him back to the cellar angry and sulking.

Narrowing of Time

The seasonal shift also sharpens the contrast between clock time and Scott’s lived routine. He tries to read, but thoughts of Catherine interrupt him; at night he waits impatiently for morning, and his dreams make her more alluring. By morning he eats quickly and returns to the cellar for the long wait until two. September is therefore not simply a date in the background: its cooling weather and household changes help close off ordinary contact and give Scott’s days a repetitive, secretive structure. That pattern continues until its end comes with shocking suddenness.