“Because names are important. You’ve got one and I’ve got one, and that gives us something in common right off the bat.”

“I’m—” She felt a delicious sense of danger. “I’m Ella McDaniel.”

“Hi, Ella.”

“Hello.”

“See, we’re getting along already!”

They both laughed, and Ella forgot about the clock, she forgot about the dullness and about Hank and about the wish.

“Next question,” the young man said. “Do they ever let you out of this place? Or are you chained to the wall at night?”

“That’s silly.”

“It is not. Where I come from, they have little children working in coal mines. Some of them grow up without ever seeing the light of day.”

“Where do you come from?” Ella heard herself asking.

“Northern Rhodesia,” the stranger said, lowering his voice.

“Really?”

“Well—almost. Actually, it’s Los Angeles.”

Ella was rapidly becoming fascinated. At the mention of Los Angeles, a vision of motion picture stars and studios and mansions came into her head.

“Disappointed?”

“No. I mean, why should I be?”

“Then we’re friends?”

“Well . . . what do you mean?”

“Friends—you know. Acquaintances. What I’m getting at is, I’d like a date with you. There we are, out in the open. I-would-like-a-date-with-you.”

“I’m afraid—”

“Of course you are. Why shouldn’t you be? After all, I’m a stranger. So look, let’s do it this way. I’ll let you say no, now. Absolutely not, you refuse to go out with me and that’s all there is to it! Then I’ll ask you again in three minutes. Having turned me down once already, you wouldn’t have the heart to do it again.”

Ella shook her head firmly. She said, “I don’t know what you’d want a date with me for.”

“For a lot of reasons,” the young man said. “One, you’re an attractive girl. Two, I’d like somebody to show me around the town. If I’m going to be living here, it’d be nice to get to see the place.”

Ella was about to answer, but the bell sounded and a portly woman with a bandage over her eye came in.

The young stranger grinned. “See you later, Ella,” he whispered. He turned and walked to the telephone booth and began to go through the directory. Ella watched and wondered, briefly, what he was doing. The excitement coursed through her.

“Is Mr. Higgins in?” the portly woman asked.

“No, Mrs. Dodge. But he ought to be back in a few minutes.”

“Well, I don’t see why he can’t stay around more. It ain’t right for you to be left alone in this place, now. I tell you that. It ain’t right.”

“Oh, I manage, Mrs. Dodge. There isn’t ever much to do this time of day.”