Near town Ben slowed the car and went back toward the boardinghouse. He parked on campus near the formidable mass of the science buildings, some of the windows still showing light, steam rising from the air handling units. As they walked back to Cameron Avenue, they saw Mrs. Delacy sitting on the porch, which gave Ben a bit of a start. Likely he was picturing himself climbing down that porch post only to find her sitting in this wooden chair. From somewhere in the neighborhood echoed the crowing of a poor urban rooster.

When Ronny introduced them, it was clear enough that even had she been sitting there during one of his climbs, Ben would get a good shot at escaping undetected. There was no question of her hearing them on the roof or, likely, on the stairs outside her room, not if they were the least bit careful. Her world was smaller than that. But she did seem aware of Ben’s charms, even though she could not see him clearly.

“You boys look like you’ve been out all night,” she said. “You college boys burn the candle at all three ends.”

Ben liked that and snorted. Ronny said, “No, ma’am, Miss Dee, we were studying. We have exams now.”

“Where were you?”

“In the library.”

“My lord. You must be something tired. If I read the least thing I fall asleep.”

Ben laughed and bent on his knee toward her. “I do that, Miss Dee. Books put me to sleep as soon as I open them. That’s nothing to worry about.”

“You must have a tough time with the studying.” She laughed a cautious laugh and adjusted her spectacles. “You go here to school then. What was your name?”

“Ben. Yes, ma’am, I go to school here.”

“Well, where are you from?”

“Right across the line in Virginia.” He sat next to her chair on the porch.

“Miss Dee,” Ronny asked, “what do you think about me putting a phone up there?”

“I don’t think anything at all as long as you turn the ring down and pay the bill. There’s been a phone up there before, there’s already a line, all you got to do is get them to turn it on.”

“Yes, ma’am, I think I’ll do that, then.”

“Mind you pay that bill now. God don’t like a deadbeat.” She had an old album of photos on her lap, unopened. Had she been looking through them before? “You boys headed upstairs?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Go right on in, we’re open for business. Wake some of these lazybones up.”

They slept for a while. Ben snored and drooled on Ronny’s neck. Ronny drifted between sleep and drowsiness, pressed against the wall by Ben’s weight or under Ben’s heavy leg.

About ten Ben woke up and Ronny watched as he tried to open his eyes. He fumbled for his watch. “You awake?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He lay back down, felt for Ronny, covered him again and put a leg across him. He sighed. “I have to go.”