The clock on the big electronic board flashed nine, and Alvin started skipping toward the jewelry stand where his mother, Prudence, worked. He paused by the entrance to the drugstore, spotting her faux-gold earrings from a distance. Her black hair was gathered into a tight bun, and a red sweater clung to her match-like frame. On the other side of the stand stood a young Eritrean couple studying the rings in the display. The dark-skinned woman was wearing a white embroidered dress, and had a faded cross-like tattoo on her forehead. She noticed Alvin staring at her and smiled. Alvin blushed, then dubbed her the woman-with-the-drawing-on-her-head. He always gave names to the people he liked, those he didn’t want to get swallowed up by the throngs at the station.

When the couple left, Prudence began to cover the stand with a stretch of blue fabric. Alvin ran toward her. He emerged on the side of the stand, stood on his tiptoes, and tried to pull the heavy cloth with one hand, but somehow got entangled in it.

“Stop!” Prudence commanded. Alvin stopped in his tracks. He closed his eyes, felt two hands coming to free him. Then he felt a brief caress. Then nothing.

“What were you trying to do?” Prudence hissed and went back to tidying up the stand.

Alvin didn’t dare look at her. He gazed at the possibly-rabbit who was still fast asleep. He jerked the box twice. Her head hit the plastic wall. She immediately woke up, trying to find something to support herself against. Alvin smiled.

“Come on, let’s go,” Prudence said. She left the stand holding two red bags and glanced at the possibly-rabbit.

“What’s that, a hamster?” she asked and didn’t wait for an answer. Alvin looked at his pet. He was confused.

“Maybe,” he said.

They went to the food court on the sixth floor, stepping out through the metal door and finding themselves in front of some big green dumpsters. The loot piled in the corner of the room was relatively meager—five umbrellas, two kettles, a few computer keyboards, and a busted TV set. Prudence inspected the items carefully, finally picking up a black kettle and taking a closer look at it.

“We’re taking it,” she announced, and put it in one of her bags. “Come on,” she said, “we’re going home.”