"I don't know. The House Triple Delight or the Sizzling Beef and Scallops maybe?"
I turned my head enough to see the good-looking Asian guy in my peripheral vision. I read the specialty names off the menu again, slowly, and watched him. "The Sizzling Beef and Scallops then, I think," I said, giving the Chinese woman at the Ming Dynasty takeout restaurant the order. "And two egg rolls, please," I added. The Asian guy nodded. The two other patrons in the restaurant were Asian too, either ordering or picking up. I guessed I'd come to a good takeout if Asians ordered here. The place had been across town from where I lived. I'd never used this one before.
"Twenty minutes," the woman behind the counter said.
"Fine, I'll be back." I left and walked around the corner to an all-night convenience store I'd seen. I stood in front of the refrigerator section, looking at a bank of iced beer six packs. Putting my hand in the case, I touched a pack of Coors and looked down the aisle. The same Asian guy was there who I'd just seen in the Chinese takeout. He just looked at me, but I saw a slight nod when I moved my hand to the Budweiser.
Fifteen minutes later I was back at the Chinese takeout and my order was ready. I'd parallel parked across the street from the restaurant and took the street crossing slow, looking both ways. It was after 9:00 p.m., and it was obvious they rolled up the sidewalk in this part of town much earlier in the evening. I gave the street a good look when I was pulling out of the parking spot and drove a little slower than usual home. It was only a twelve-minute driveβI lived in a small, dull town where I had to drum up my own adventureβand I'd said I drove a red Mustang. There wasn't much of a chance of misunderstanding.