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she said. “I’ve seen others my age give in to wheels, and that’s it. They quit walking, and the decline is even faster.”
    She did well for an eighty-year-old with severe arthritis. Right beside her, just about as old and slow, was Alice. At fourteen, she was ancient for her breed. Jennifer was amazed by them both and wondered if she would have that kind of fortitude at that age. She wondered if she’d be fortunate enough to even see that age.
    Louise was a teacher, a college professor who had driven to Las Vegas and sometimes farther when she was teaching, and Buzz was the only guy in town willing to open at 5:00 a.m. “But I don’t teach anymore,” she had told Jennifer. “At first it was for the pleasure of company in the morning after my husband, Harry, died, then it was for the exercise and finally it became a matter of survival. But I don’t exactly bounce out of bed in the morning anymore.”
    Jennifer opened the door when Louise finally arrived. “Good morning, Madam Professor,” she said. Louise’s face brightened immediately and Jennifer knew that she liked being addressed in that way. “Two canes as opposed to the walker—that must mean your arthritis is pretty tame today.”
    â€œHah. You wish. I’m just especially brave.”
    â€œAh, I should have known.” She had Alice’s bowl of water in her hand and placed it before her on the sidewalk outside the diner while Louise went inside and got settled.
    It was one of the high points of the morning for Jennifer when Louise and Alice arrived. The way the older woman expressed herself—a kind of harsh but kindly manner—was a kick. “You’re a little rough around the edges, aren’t you, Doris?” was one of the first things she’d said to her. And she always asked personal questions that Jennifer skittered around. Direct questions like “Where do you come from and who are your people?”
    Jennifer admitted to coming from the Midwest, which was not entirely untrue. Her grandparents lived all their lives in Ohio, even though Jennifer had moved around a lot with her mother. And she said she didn’t have any people, unfortunately.
    She got Louise’s tea right away. “Here you go,” she said. “What can we get you for breakfast this morning?”
    â€œI don’t know,” she answered. “I’m not hungry.”
    â€œYou will be by the time you start nibbling. Have to keep your strength up.”
    â€œWidows tend to skip meals or eat over the sink. Did you know that, Doris? But not Rose, my next door neighbor. She’s in so much better shape at seventy, and she fixes a proper supper every night and eats it while seated at the table. But then Rose has never been married, and it makes a difference somehow.”
    â€œWhy is that?”
    â€œI don’t know exactly. It’s the having been married that does a lot of us in. As if when the old boy goes, there goes the only excuse we have for fixing a good meal. But you didn’t see me eating over the sink before I was married.” She snorted. “Of course, I was married at seven.”
    â€œSeven? A little young. Were you one of the Travelers?”
    â€œThe what?”
    â€œThose gypsies who marry off their girls before they’re out of elementary school. The Travelers.”
    â€œYou have a very unique education, Doris. For a biker chick.”
    Jennifer laughed. “I like the news magazine shows—like 60 Minutes. Now, how about some eggs and fruit?”
    â€œFine, then. You’ve been here about a month, haven’t you, Doris?”
    â€œJust about. Want some whole wheat toast?”
    â€œNo butter. You must like Boulder City a little or you would’ve moved on. At least to better employment.”
    â€œCome on, Dr. Barstow—I couldn’t ask for more than this!”
    Jennifer loved the way Louise’s face