I counted fast. There were seven snapshots fixed there. The instant kind that slid right out of the camera when you pressed the button. The tape was yellowed and cracked. Not that I really noticed the tape. Instead I stared at the pictures. A lady with dark curly hair, bright red lips. In one she was wearing a pink bra and panties. In another her back was curved and everything on the top was out. And in another she was completely naked on her side. My eyes kept flicking toward the one closest to the man. The lady’s head was tilted, she was smiling, and her legs were bent and spread open and her parts were right there.

I swallowed all the water that rushed into my mouth. It seemed like the lady was grinning at me.

“She’s really something, ain’t she?”

“Urh.”

“Sure she could’ve been one of those model types. I bought her a big set of tits, cost me a bundle, but one of ’em popped. No way to get all that shit out. Ruined her dreams, it did. I felt downright awful about it.”

My stomach was curdled and excited and a little bit queasy looking at the photographs. Of the lady he married. Who was at this moment growing a baby, and that baby already owned its own swing set. I put my hands over my lap and stared at my fingernails. They were long and there was dirt and dried blood under them.

Carl was breathing heavily. Grunting and muttering. We seemed to be driving forever. I didn’t know what The Stop was, or how far away we were going. On the radio a man sang about missing his girl. I thought of Girl, hoped she wasn’t lonely or hadn’t gotten free from her leash. Finally, the cab of the truck bounced side to side as we drove over broken pavement and pulled into a gas station. Carl was tugging at the handle before we even stopped.

“Have a good one,” the man said, but Carl had already hobbled down the steps.

“Thanks, mister,” I said quietly.

“Sure, friend. Anytime.”

I slammed the door closed and followed Carl. He went inside the building. Hanging in the window was a poster showing a plate of burgers and a boy with a checkered napkin knotted around his neck. My stomach growled. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was.

I found Carl seated on a stool at the counter. A woman in a polka-dot dress and white apron was writing something on a notepad. She stuck the pencil into her hair and smiled wide at Carl. As I got closer I heard her say, “Haven’t seen your hairy mug in three weeks, darling. Where you been hiding yourself?”