# Chapter 04 Counter-Strip Audit

pre word count: 2,532 | post word count: 2,572 | delta: +1.6% | sample size: 7 cuts/replacements | applicable author-direction notes: none; reduced-protection dimensions: none.

- JUSTIFIED - cut: `"a flyer for a lost parakeet"` - evidence: Comedy Doctor round 1 found this portable diner set dressing and ordered Sonia's-specific material. Replacement `"a pysanky-workshop flyer, a block-association notice"` better serves place and premise.
- JUSTIFIED - cut: `"Openings are for standing near art so other people can see you doing it."` - evidence: Dialogue Doctor round 1 identified June's openings line as over-composed/fake-sharp. Replacement uses observed opening behavior: `"shoulders in front of everything. Wine in the corners. People reading labels with one eye on the door."`
- JUSTIFIED - cut: `"The fall hang-"` - evidence: mechanical/punctuation cleanup removed an interruption dash; replacement `"The fall hang."` keeps the fact without em-dash rhythm.
- JUSTIFIED - cut: `"Because it beat sitting still"` - evidence: Comedy Doctor round 1 found it redundant after `"carrying things was his best method of standing still"` and Theo's mug/receipt handling. The napkin drawing reads without the gloss.
- JUSTIFIED - cut: `"The fries arrived and ran interference"` - evidence: Comedy Doctor round 1 found portable stock personification. Replacement `"Dee set down two baskets of fries. Hands crossed the paper placemats..."` makes the attention shift concrete.
- JUSTIFIED - cut: `"Off the clock, Ruthie."` - evidence: Dialogue Doctor round 1 flagged table-wide dry-correction monoculture. Replacement `"Pie first, Ruthie"` gives Sam a concrete care move instead of another sharp correction.
- JUSTIFIED - cut: `"Tuesday. That was the deal." / "Tuesday."` - evidence: Dialogue Doctor round 1 flagged correction monoculture around Mara. Replacement `"Keep it through Tuesday... I want the studio version back"` preserves the return obligation while varying Mara's warmth.

Chapter verdict: NONE OVER-CUT.

REVISION ORDERS: none.
