Ray Bradbury, who wrote the story, had many insights into human behavior. Two retired salesman have made it their post retirement work to try to save people who are self destructive and hopeless. They seem to always be on the scene of suicides and accident scenes. They make it a project to try to save a forty-five year old woman who is abusive and angry. She baits the butcher, chases kids, turns her radio up to annoy her fellow tenants. In short, she is one ugly being. I won't give it away, but they do their best to intervene, but succumb to their own baser instincts when the chips are down. Bradbury characters are talky and introspective and often reach for the unattainable. This is a good episode. The acting, especially the woman, is quite good. But it is cynical and sad. She is a human being and has been victimized by her poverty and her hopelessness.
Review of Shopping for Death
