Chapter 2
Jamila and I had gone shopping for antiques on Sunday. Which is to say, Jamila wanted to shop for antiques and I dragged my ass along.
We took a spin to a small shop outside Berlin, Maryland. A mom-and-pop outfit in the middle of nowhere. Inside the store, Jamila took her time browsing while I stifled yawns.
A lacquered rosewood music box caught Jamila’s eye.
“Isn’t that pretty?” she asked.
I made approving noises. I had to admit, the image of kittens on the box was cute. However, I hate knickknacks. More stuff to gather dust and cat hair.
After checking the price, Jamila made a counter offer. The saleswoman may have looked like Aunt Bee on the Andy Griffith Show, but she drove a hard bargain.
Having reached a happy compromise, the lady wrapped Jamila’s new treasure and pl
