By a Thread

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes cursing and sexual harassment, disordered eating, and chronic illness.

In New York City, 45-year-old Dominic Russo meets his mother Dalessandra Russo at George’s Village Pizza for dinner. He’s on the phone with an editor from the Russos’ magazine Label. An attractive waitress confronts him about talking on the phone as the restaurant has a no cell phone policy. Dominic retorts rudely and hangs up. He and Dalessandra chat about Label until the waitress returns to take their order. She and Dominic get into another spat and the waitress threatens to do something to his food. Dalessandra is amused by the exchange but scolds Dominic for being rude.

39-year-old Ally Morales works her shift at George’s Village Pizza. Annoyed by Dominic’s entitled behavior, she writes FU in pepperoni on his pie. Dominic complains to her boss George, who fires Ally on the spot. On her way out, sympathetic customers give Ally cash. She accepts it because she’s worried about money.

Ally walks to the bus stop feeling overwhelmed. She’s been having money troubles since moving to New York City from Colorado. She’s living at her dad’s in New Jersey but works five different gigs to cover her bills and debts.