He stopped. The driver of the contemptible automobile opened the passenger door and Janis got out. She smiled at the driver and they walked into the diner, hand in hand.

“Son of a—” exclaimed Todd. He squirmed in his seat, trying to get a good look at the person Janis was with, but no matter how he tried, he just couldn’t get a fix. Behind him, car horns blasted. The lights were green. Todd stalled, started the engine again, and drove on. Then an idea occurred to him. Instead of going straight ahead, he made a sudden left and parked, not in the diner’s lot (he wasn’t that dumb), but outside the tire store next to the diner.

He thought for a moment, then got out the car and went into the tire store.

“Welcome to Bill’s Tire,” said the owner, presumably Bill. “Can I help you?”

Yes, I think my wife is fucking some other guy, Todd thought but did not say.

“I’m good,” he said, and walked through the store to the side window which, he hoped, offered a good view of the diner. To keep Bill from bothering him, he pretended to look at car stereos. Across the way, he could see Janis ordering breakfast. He couldn’t see the other guy’s face, just his dumb leather jacket.

“That’s a good one,” said Bill, who had followed Todd over to the window.

“Is it?” said Todd, who had no idea what stereo he was supposed to be looking at.

“Yes, sir, got the FM and everything. Plays cassettes, about the only thing it don’t do is drive the car for you.” Bill guffawed. Todd made a kind of “heh” noise. Janis and the other guy were laughing at something now. Todd wished he’d brought a camera, to collect evidence. Evidence of what, he wasn’t sure.

“You know those two?” said Bill suddenly.

“Excuse me?” said Todd.

“Those two people you’re staring at,” said Bill.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Todd, at the same time trying to look over Bill’s shoulder. Now Janis was leaning over and saying something to the other guy.

“I don’t enjoy people coming in here to stare at other people like some fucking kind of pervert,” said Bill. “Now get out of here or I’ll make you get out.”

“Can you move please?” Todd said, which was ill-advised.

“Nobody fucking listens anymore,” said Bill, and punched Todd in the stomach.

Todd doubled over.

“What the fuck did you do that for?”

“Plenty more where that came from,” said Bill. “Now get out before I get the tire iron.”

Clutching his stomach, Todd made for the door, casting one last glance at the diner. A shove from Bill propelled him into the lot. He staggered, tripped into some trashcans, pulled himself up, and pulled a trashcan over with a mighty crash.

*  *  *