“In a Cafe"I watched a man in a cafe fold a slice of bread as if he were folding a birth certificate or looking at the photograph of a dead lover.”

“Slade just shrugged. His lips folded in, he watched her with the sameexpression a priest might look at a man as he took his long walk to theelectric chair. Bastard.”

“He stood at the window of the empty cafe and watched the activites in the square and he said that it was good that God kept the truths of life from the young as they were starting out or else they'd have no heart to start at all.”

“One day a man came into the bar and ordered a pint and a pousse-cafe, adding "for our lass" in case I thought he was a ballet dancer or something.”

“I don't suppose you believe love could last forever."I'd hurt him. I looked away, chagrined."You're mistaken," I said. "I do believe it could. But it would depend upon the lovers."He folded his arms and watched me, forcing me to return his gaze. Oh, those eyes."And what kind of lovers must they be?" he asked.The You-and-Me kind?”

“He looked like a man who was turning into paper, folding himself into origami angles, fragile and friable and prone to crumple.”