“But you came from the east,” Cully said.

Luther could feel the cold wind biting the edges of his ears and he reached in and took his coat from the front seat. “I went to visit a friend in Waynesville,” Luther said. “Now I’m heading back.”

“Took a drive through the cold from Columbus to Waynesville,” Cully said as Bernard closed the hood with a hard clank.

“That’ll happen,” Bernard said, coming down the side of the car. “Nice coat.”

Luther looked at it. It had been Jessie’s, a fine wool cheviot carovette overcoat with a convertible collar. For a man who loved to dress, he’d been prouder of this coat than anything he owned.

“Thank you,” Luther said.

“Might roomy,” Bernard said.

“What’s that?”

“A bit big for you is all,” Cully said with a helpful smile as he straightened to his full height. “What you think, Bern’? Can we fix this man’s tire?”

“Don’t see why not.”

“How’s that engine looking?”

Bernard said, “Man takes care of his car. Everything under that hood is cherry. Yes, sir.”

Cully nodded. “Well, Jessie, we’re happy to oblige you then. We’ll get you up and running in no time.” He took a stroll around the car again. “But we got some funny laws in this county. One says I can’t work on a colored man’s car until I check his license against the registration. You got a license?”

The man smiled all pleasant and logical.

“I misplaced it.”

Cully looked over at Bernard, then out at the empty road, then back at Luther. “That’s unfortunate.”

“It’s just a flat.”

“Oh, I know, Jessie, I do. Hell, it was up to me we’d have you fixed up and on the road five minutes from last Tuesday. We surely would. If it was up to me, I’ll tell you true, there’d be a whole lot less laws in this county. But they got their ways of doing things and it’s not my place to tell them different. I tell you what—it’s a slow day. Why don’t we let Bernard get to working on the car and I’ll drive you down to the county courthouse and you can just fill out an application and see if Ethel will make you up a new license on the spot?”

Bernard ran his rag down along the hood. “This car ever been in an accident?”

“No, suh,” Luther said.

“First time he said ‘suh,’” Bernard said. “You notice that?”

Cully said, “It did catch my attention.” He spread his hands to Luther. “It’s okay, Jessie. We’re just used to our Missouri coloreds showing a bit more deference. Again, makes no difference to me, you see. Just the way of things.”

“Yes, suh.”

“Twice!” Bernard said.

“Whyn’t you grab your things,” Cully said, “and we’ll take that ride?”

Luther took his suitcase from the backseat and a minute later he was in Cully’s pickup truck and they were driving west.

After about ten minutes of silence, Cully said, “You know I fought in the war. You?”