Seedless Rye Bread

A loaf of seedless rye bread forms part of the deli spread Leo unveils on the poker table in his office during a late-night game. C.J. squeezes the dense loaf, testing its give in a tactile gag that draws laughs from Josh, Leo, Margaret, and Toby amid playful debate over balancing an egg. The bread anchors the group's brief respite, its heft contrasting the coming intrusion of work.

3 appearances

Purpose

Food item shared during poker night banter

Significance

Sparks levity and humanizes the staff's rhythms—faith versus skepticism, idealism undercut by pragmatism—before Margaret's news shifts the tone to crisis.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments

S4E20 · Evidence of Things Not Seen

Poker Night — The Egg Debate

The seedless rye becomes a tactile gag when Leo asks C.J. to squeeze it; this small physical exchange punctuates the levity and grounds the argument in sensory detail.

Before: Part of the arranged sandwich fixings on the poker table, untouched.

After: Handled by C.J. (squeezed) and remains on the table as the social ritual plays out.

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S4E20 · Evidence of Things Not Seen

Margaret's Quiet Interrupt — From Pastrami to Paperwork

The seedless rye is physically handled (C.J. squeezes it) immediately before Margaret's entrance; that tactile moment increases the intimacy of the scene and makes the interruption feel more intrusive.

Before: On the table as part of the sandwich assembly; being squeezed by C.J.

After: Left on the table, slightly compressed from the squeeze, as conversation breaks and Leo exits.

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S4E20 · Evidence of Things Not Seen

Night Poker Interrupted by a Last‑Minute Hiring Request

A loaf of seedless rye is physically handled when C.J. squeezes it during banter; it serves as a tactile beat that humanizes the exchange and punctuates the group's leisure before the interruption.

Before: On the table; C.J. approaches and squeezes a piece while laughing.

After: Remains on the table after the hiring announcement; tactile amusements give way to administrative talk.

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