Angie started out loud with her own version of the wait-at-the-airport-story, before she realized Gary and Midge were simply looking at her wondering when she was going to finish. They would not offer condolences, it was clear. In fact, she could see that they found her indignance amusing.

Gary said, “Well hell, Lance. I’d have picked her up for you, a babe like her, course then you’d of had to wait a few hours before I got her back to you,” and he looked at Angie with a wink. Those grey eyes. That face—sun struck and all leather—clearly used to pretending. Gary was an idiot, she decided, an absolute asshole. Who the hell did he think he was?      [go angie, it’s ur birthday!]

Gary and Lance talked about some boat Gary wanted Lance to buy from him and Midge blew smoke out of her mouth and then sucked it right back in her nostrils. It made her look as if her lips were vaporizing. Angie tried not to stare at Midge and remembered that the first time she saw her do this, it was boring after the first ten minutes.

She looked around the cafe. LuAnn was doing a crossword puzzle at the counter. “What’s a three letter word for ‘beseech’?” she asked the cook. “Be what?” he answered.

This is what it must be like, Angie thought, just before you lose your mind. You lose all your perspective and suddenly everything is totally weird and freaky. Who were these people, really? What in the hell was she doing here? The weight of that felt enough to knock her over, like an anvil just behind her forehead. Her neck could snap like old taffy. She got herself to lean forward, to maybe keep from falling backwards, and she struggled to re-imagine her life before this. She thought about crying or not crying.      [she thought about how pissed off she really was, how she’d like to tattoo his ass with a panini grill, maybe she’d ask her sis to rip one off from panera n they would toast this dude. shit thatreminds me I need to ask off tomorrow so we can go skating. skating rocks!]

“Yoo-hoo!” sang Midge, waving her hand in Angie’s face. “I said ’Don’t you think so too?’”

“Think what?” Angie heard herself ask.

“That variety’s the spice of life!” Midge announced. “I mean one man isn’t always enough for one woman. Let’s keep things interesting. Ask Gary; he’s a regular ladies’ man. Hell, ask his wife!” she snorted and laughed.

Gary smiled. “What wife?” He arranged his large elbows on the tabletop.

Lance said, “I should bring Kathy here sometime, I think she’d like it.”

LuAnn sashayed over just in time to plunk down the burgers. “Hey ya’ll know a three letter word for ‘beseech?’”

“Beg,” said Lance.

“Well, well, well,” said Midge.

“What time do you get off, doll?” said Gary, his hand on LuAnn’s back.

She smiled at Angie and leaned over as she set Gary’s plate down in front of him. “That depends on how long it takes you.”

“Nice,” said Midge. “Real nice,” and swung her legs under the table, blew smoke at the waitress. “Get along now little doggie.”

“Ooh, you ought to get her a leash,” said LuAnn and patted Gary’s shoulder as she left.     [luann’s got balls]

The blood started thrashing in Angie’s temples. What the hell? What was this planet where there was neither a sense of gravity nor respect? Blank faces hunched over burgers. Midge flicked her ashes on the floor.

Angie knew, after all, that it didn’t make any difference what she thought. Gary and Midge and Lance were myopic.      [n she liked big words]