Summary

At the beginning of “Winter 1977-1978”, Colleen purchased a water purifier to attach to their kitchen faucet. She knew that Rich did not want to believe Daniel, but she was concerned about potential contamination. Rich watched her struggle to assemble the purifier but did not offer to help. At the gas station, Colleen ran into Daniel and gave him the jars of tap water that she had collected. She told him that “if there something in it, [she] want[ed] to know” but did not offer to assist him further (241). That night, Colleen went to a small gathering at Carl and Helen’s that Daniel had invited her to. She listened as he explained that “there [was] a community up in Oregon trying to get an injunction against some of the same herbicides […] until there was better science” (243). Colleen left early and went...