I really wanted to get to know this fellow, now, and we had all the time in the world to talk. I leaned forward to ask him a question, but my eye was caught by someone coming in the door. It was a young man, slender, handsome, fey; would’ve really caught my eye fifteen years ago. The diner was crowded now, and he looked around helplessly. I called out, on a whim, “Hey kid, over here.” And he came as if summoned on a string. Maybe I called out because he had on some faire garb, the shirt anyhow.
He slid in next to James, who looked surprised. “Yours?” he asked. Then with a solid look at the boy, he slid his plate back to him and said, “I haven’t touched this and I don’t want it. You can have it.”
“I can’t pay you,” the kid whispered.
“The price is to know your name. Hey, I think there’s
