I suddenly decided I needed to lie down in the sun and close my eyes. I felt warm inside and out and I was starting to forget my mother’s words from the night before. “Probably Leah. I bet Leah would know.”

My head felt heavy, so I rolled over and stretched my body out onto the grass. Trucks drove past and soon the rumbles incorporated themselves into my dreams, a steady rustling noise that sounded like door after door closing behind me.

When I woke, he was gone. Beside me was a note that said “MEET ME OUTSIDE THE GAG AT FIVE.” I didn’t hesitate for a second.

Well, maybe just a second.

I stood outside of the GAG and, when I didn’t see him, I peeked over the blinking leprechaun to see if I could see her, but she wasn’t there. Instead, there was a fat waitress at her station who kept getting stuck between customers’ chairs. When I turned back around, he was standing beside me and I knew he had seen me looking. His hands were in his pockets and he was wearing a blue buttondown shirt that hung past the waistband of his leather jacket.

“Find what you were looking for?”

I shrugged. I wasn’t about to try and explain something I didn’t understand myself so I looked down at my shoes. “Why are we here?”

He clicked his head in the direction he wanted me to go and I followed him to the corner.

“In here.” He pointed to a telephone booth with a door that opened and closed like an accordion.

“You want me to go inside?” It was old and the panels of glass were scratched, which made it look like it was filled with fog.

He nodded.

I opened the door and cringed as a waft of pee hit my face. I turned to leave, but he was right behind me, using his chest to push me forward. His ear brushed past my mouth and I breathed in the smell of his shampoo.

“Now what?” I planted my arms firmly across my chest, partly because I wanted to look annoyed, but more because there wasn’t enough room to do much else.

“Here.” He dug into his pocket and brought out a roll of coins wrapped in maroon paper.

“What’s this for?”

He pointed to the telephone.

“Who am I supposed to call?”

“Leah.” His whisper flew past my chin like a feather.

“Don’t think so.” I tried to push past him, but he wouldn’t budge. “Let me out.”

I unclasped my arms and pushed him harder than I meant to, harder than I knew I could. If it took him by surprise, he didn’t react, instead he kept thrusting the roll of coins at me, like a gun at my side, poking me until I had to turn and face him.