The man woke up in an orderly way. First he stared at the ceiling, then he sat up and stared at his feet. Then he looked all around the antique mall, and last he looked at Charlene and Clarence.

“I thought you might want to get you a little something to eat before you head on,” said Charlene, “but Mamie’s is closed Mondays, so I brought you some supper.”

Clarence set up a little eating place at an enamel-topped table in a booth selling antique kitchen gadgets. “How about this old Buffalo china, now doesn’t that look festive? Just don’t tell Esther.”

The man sat down gingerly. “What is this place? Is this some kind of a home?”

“Where have you been?” said Clarence. “You never saw an antique mall?”

Charlene piled up the plates with chicken divan and a slice of tomato for color. She felt a little shy, remembering the feel of the man’s cheek on hers and his arms heavy around her waist as Johnny Cash sang “been in the arms of my best friend’s wife.” She put an extra slice of tomato on his plate and stole a glance at him. He was sitting very still with his hands in his lap staring right at her face.

“Are you an angel?” he asked.

Clarence laughed and said, “She is an angel.” Charlene looked down and worried over her chicken divan. Was there too much salt? Too much curry? Was it cold in the middle? She took the first bite. No, it was perfect. She relaxed. Then it almost turned into a regular meal, three people eating together and visiting. Clarence explained the concept of an antique mall, the man explained that his car had broken down that afternoon, was in the shop, something in the transmission. “I can’t make it to Biloxi tonight,” he said.

“Did you leave it at Axelrod’s?” asked Clarence. “Axelrod has a good transmission man.”

“Yes, Axelrod’s.”

Charlene asked him did he have a place to stay, since the motel had closed down. “We’re not exactly a big tourist destination up here in north Watson County,” she said.

There was a silence, then Clarence said, “You can go on and stay here tonight. Just don’t steal anything.”

The man looked around. “You know, I don’t see a thing in here I need.” He took an eggbeater off the Peg-Board wall and spun its handle. “Vroom!” he said, and smiled at Charlene and winked, as if it were a little joke just between them.

That night when Charlene got home, she had a happy, reckless feeling. She hummed “Long Black Veil” as she washed the dishes, and instead of weary and polite, she felt irritated and snappy when Larry showed up at the back door.