Midnight in Suburbia

Amity Coffey-Shupe is the Antagonist

Background Story:
At the Funeral

Dressed in the pink pant suite, Larry had bought her for their last wedding anniversary, Amity stood beside her husband's casket. She watched as each mourner entering the chapel stopped to sign their names and write something in the memory book which the mortuary had provided. Everyone they knew had come to his funeral, she did not question their presence because most were Larry Henry Shupe's friends or customers. After everyone else was seated, Dolly Shupe-Cartwright, wearing a long black veil over a long black dress, sashayed into the room.

So, Amity thought as she watched her sister-in-law sign the book. The vulture has made her entrance.

Turning from the memory book, Dolly looked around the chapel and then marched down the aisle toward the casket. Before Dolly could reach the casket, Daniella stepped in front of her aunt. Taking Dolly by the arm, Daniella guided her to the pew reserved for family and forced her to sit down in the the pew. Before Dolly could get up, Rodger Mathew Shupe, Dolly's surviving brother, sit down on her right while Ethan Shupe, Larry and Amity's son, set down on her left.

"As most of you know," Amity said, fixing her gaze on her sister-in-law. "Larry wasn't fond of viewings or funerals. He requested that there be no viewing of his body before the funeral and that the casket remain closed during the ceremony. Therefore, I had Mr. Roberts, the funeral director, place a picture of Larry on top of the casket." She pointed to the photo sitting at the head of the casket. "If any one of you," she nodded at Dolly, "wishes to see Larry's body there will be an hour or two after this service. Mr. Roberts will be quite happy to open the casket and let you take pictures of the body." Amity moved behind the casket, as a gray haired man in a black suit walked to the podium to the left of the casket.

"When Mr. Shupe was diagnosed with lung cancer," Mr. Roberts glanced around the room. "He came to me with a very unusual request. He asked if I could arrange to have his funeral catered. Therefore, after Reverend Jones has completed his portion of the service you may all file past the casket and into the next chapel. If anyone wishes to view the body please step wait beside the casket until everyone else has left." Mr. Roberts moved to the side of the casket, while a young man wearing a dark gray suit took his place at the podium.

"I didn't know Mr. Shupe well, but I understand he had a great sense of humor. When I spoke to him last, he emphasized that he wanted everyone to enjoy the food provided and remember him as he was in life." He paused, "Creator, please comfort and bless Larry Henry Shupe's family and friends on this sad occasion." Reverend Jones went to Amity's side as the audience, with the exception of Dolly, got up and begin to file past the coffin. After the others had went through the door into the other chapel, Dolly got up and walked to casket.

"Well," she said glaring at Mr. Roberts. "Are you going to open the coffin?"

"Reverend Jones," said Amity picking up her husband's picture. "Could you accompany me into the buffet?"

Profile

Name: Amity Coffey-Shupe

Age: Date of Birth: August 25, 1923; she is 90 years old.

General physical description: She is 5' 4", with a medium build. She has completely white hair, with blue eyes.

Hometown: Claims no specific hometown. She lived in Las Vegas after World War II and then moved to Oklahoma where she lived in

Type of home and/or neighborhood: Suburb

Relationship status: Widowed with no known romantic relationship

Current family: Her oldest child is Daniella Coffey, who was born while Amity was still single. Her youngest child is Ethan Shupe, who was born nine months after his parents wedding.

Family background (parents, previous marriages, etc.): Her husband name was Larry Henry Shupe. She had one intimate relationship before she met him, which resulted in the birth of her daughter.

Friends: A few in Oklahoma, but none in Las Vegas.

Other close relationships: None

Relationship with men: One marriage and one premarital relationship.

Relationship with women: None

Job: Was a dressmaker before and during her marriage to Larry Henry Shupe.

Dress style: Likes to wear greens & browns with jewelry containing sardonyx or sardonyx-like stones. She likes to change her clothes often.

Religion: Holiday Christian

Attitude to religion: Open

Favorite pastimes: Sowing

Hobbies: Giving advice

Favorite sports: None

Favorite foods: Will eat anything that sounds interesting

Strongest positive personality trait: She does not like restrictions and tends to fight rules or conventions. Practical, loyal, hardworking, analytical, kind

Strongest negative personality trait: Worry, shyness, over critical of self, over critical of others, prefers work over play

Sense of humor: Interesting sense of humor

Temper:Reacts angrily to rude people

Consideration for others: Considerate as long as she is not dealing with someone who is rude

How other people see him or her: Versatile & constructive

Other traits, especially those to be brought out in story: Restless, changeable, rebellious, & untidy & Worry, shyness, over critical of self, over critical of others, prefers work over play

Ambitions: Doesn't like taking center stage, but prefers to work rather then to play.

Philosophy of life: All play & no work leads to laziness & poverity

Most important thing to know about this character: She has Alzheimer's disease & there for reacts in bazaar ways

Will readers like or dislike this character, and why? Yes, because she is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and can't help the way she reacts to things

Plot Information

Amity's reasons for leaving turkey cooking in oven
          Missing cooking utensils
                    Slotted spoon
                    One cup measuring cup
          Did not think she turned oven on

Amity's dentures
          Thinks someone stole teeth from her mouth
          Dentures and their container found in refrigerator or freezers
          When Amity looks in her (at Daniella's request) purse for dentureD container she finds
                    Two chicken leg bones
                    Does not know how bones got into purse, but thinks someone put them there
                    Amity gets angry and over reacts when Daniella finds contents of Amity's purse funny

Amity forgets that her husband is dead
          Asks Ethan if his father is visiting Uncle Rodger (Larry Shupe's brother) of Aunt Dolly (Larry Shupe's sister)

Amity confuses Mary Droste with her sister-in-law
          Amity never got along is Dolly Shupe-Cartwright
          Dolly never thought Amity good enough for her brother or to marry into the Shupe family