When Scott happened to look over, he saw Shelley and Lucy in what looked like deep conversation. Shelley sat up straight, engaged but with her hands knitted in her lap; Lucy sat on her hands but with her eyes glued to her “match.” From time to time, he saw Shelley dig into her hamburger, her eyes (or so he hoped) rolling in pleasure.
* * * * * *
Within the hour, most of the “double party” had wafted away, many partiers having first exchanged cell phone numbers. Some even called each other while they stood there, to confirm the digits, so the clearing soon chirped like an aviary. The phrase Scott jotted later was “a convention of harmonious crickets.” (It made the final cut.) As several of these new friends headed off, some single, most in pairs, they bore appropriate containers for midni
