Home Alone

I have been waiting for a piece like this, a description of the experience of being home alone as a child (sorry, Krystle). The snippets of music, voices, microwave beeps, and others serve as perfect punctuations to telling this story. The different characters are properly introduced, with more than one type of introduction. The multiple settings established portray Krystle's world fully, as a neighborhood rather than a few rooms where interviews take place. I am reminded of the writing structure of "Juno", "Precious", and "Three Idiots", where places are portrayed as endpoints between journeys. The final sound layerings serve as a wonderful ending, illustrating the banal everyday (microwave beeps), the negative past (phone conversation), and a daughter's hope for the future ("I Will Wait For You").

Things to notice: Krystle has a clear, articulate voice that she knows how to use effectively convey emotion. A common dilemma for female radio speakers is figuring out how to convey emotions such as concern or fear without appearing younger or shrill (thereby less credible). But Krystle absolutely does not have to worry about this; her tone is emotion-filled but does not cross the line into emotionally stacked. The editing is lovely, and displays a knowledge clearly obtained through listening to many pieces. The lady speaks with class and with much though, choosing every word carefully but remaining completely authentic in voice.