154

They come to a vegetable stand along the highway. There is no one tending it.
"Martinek still has his stand," she says.
"Yes," he says.
"You and I never stopped here," she says, "did we?"
"I don't remember, Ro," he says.
"Hmm."
She pulls over.
"Is this one of the sites you wanted me to see?"
"One of the whats?"
"One of the sites you wanted me to see. You just said you were taking me around to see the sites."
"Oh," she says. "No. This is not one of the sites."
They get out. They go up to the cart, and Rowena picks up a tomato.
"You ain't gonna find no better tomatoes," says a voice.
"Hey Jimmy," she says. "Startled me, there."
"Brought your boyfriend, didja?"
"Jimmy," she says, "you remember my friend Alex, here, don't you?"
"'Course I do," says Jimmy. Then, turning to Alex, "been gone a while, ain'tcha? Used to see you at the library."
He remembers this. Jimmy used to do groundskeeping down at the college.
"Yessir," he says.