Premium Harmony

"Premium Harmony" is a short story by American author Stephen King.While en route to Wal-Mart for grass seed, Ray and Mary Burkett, with their dog Biznezz in the back seat, fight about the state of their lawn, his smoking, and her obesity.Mary demands they stop at a convenience store in order for her to purchase a purple kickball for their niece's birthday, and while Ray and the dog are waiting in the car, Mary suffers a heart attack in the store and immediately dies.The emergency medical technicians arrive, pronounce her dead, and remove her body.Ray remains with the store employees and customers, recounting Mary's County Fair awards for her quilting.
Short storyStephen KingLiterary FictionThe New YorkerThe Bazaar of Bad DreamsMile 81Batman and Robin Have an AltercationCastle RockWal-Martsmokingobesityconvenience storekickballheart attackemergency medical technicianspronounceCounty Fairquiltingthe extreme heat in the carSno Ballthird-person limited narrativeegocentricmouth-to-mouth resuscitationFrench kissingStephen King short fiction bibliographyCondé Nast PublicationsInternet Speculative Fiction DatabaseThe DuneBad Little KidA DeathThe Bone ChurchMoralityAfterlifeHerman Wouk Is Still AliveUnder the WeatherBlockade BillyMister YummyThe Little Green God of AgonyCookie JarThat Bus Is Another WorldDrunken FireworksSummer ThunderBibliographyShort fictionUnpublished and uncollectedAwards and nominationsCarrie'Salem's LotThe ShiningThe StandThe Dead ZoneFirestarterChristinePet SemataryCycle of the WerewolfThe TalismanThe Eyes of the DragonMiseryThe TommyknockersThe Dark HalfNeedful ThingsGerald's GameDolores ClaiborneInsomniaRose MadderThe Green MileDesperationBag of BonesThe Girl Who Loved Tom GordonThe PlantDreamcatcherBlack HouseFrom a Buick 8The Colorado KidLisey's StoryDuma KeyUnder the Dome11/22/63JoylandDoctor SleepMr. MercedesRevivalFinders KeepersEnd of WatchGwendy's Button BoxSleeping BeautiesThe OutsiderElevationThe InstituteBilly SummersGwendy's Final TaskFairy TaleNever FlinchTalisman 3The Dark TowerRichard BachmanThe Long WalkRoadworkThe Running ManThinnerThe Bachman BooksThe RegulatorsNight ShiftDifferent SeasonsSkeleton CrewFour Past MidnightNightmares & DreamscapesHearts in AtlantisEverything's EventualJust After SunsetFull Dark, No StarsIf It BleedsYou Like It DarkerDanse MacabreNightmares in the SkySecret WindowsFaithfulCreepshowCat's EyeSilver BulletMaximum OverdriveSleepwalkersA Good MarriageSorry, Right NumberGolden YearsChingaStorm of the CenturyRose RedKingdom HospitalHeads Will RollHeroes for HopeAmerican VampireMichael Jackson's GhostsBlack RibbonsGhost Brothers of Darkland CountyThe Best American Short Stories 2007Six Scary StoriesFlight or FrightCarrie WhiteMargaret WhiteSue SnellRita DesjardinKurt BarlowRichard StrakerFather CallahanJack TorranceDanny TorranceWendy TorranceDick HallorannRose the HatRoland DeschainRandall FlaggCrimson KingBill DenbroughBeverly MarshRichie TozierGeorgie DenbroughGage CreedJohnny SmithAnnie WilkesTanya RobertsonHolly GibneyJerusalem's LotShawshank State PrisonAll-WorldTabitha KingJoe HillOwen KingList of adaptationsDollar BabyBibliography of works on Stephen KingRaymond H. Fogler Library archivesRock Bottom RemaindersPeople, Places and ThingsPhiltrum PressSix StoriesStephen King Goes to the MoviesCharlie the Choo-ChooHearts in SuspensionThe Secretary of DreamsKing on Screen