and as she paused br at the store window br her mind which was rose-gold br that day, poured in a br shining stream out through br her eyes and through the plate-glass br door while the air-conditioned br dark richness of the salon br opened its black velvet arms br to greet her and even the security person br smiled at the star-sparkle in her hopes br br and when she’d tried it on she walked br towards the window beckoning him br whom we had not noticed br to come in and take a closer look br honey he said you look just beautiful br how can I look at the price tag when br you look so great in it? br br when she came out and he br had melted away into the crowd br as if he had not been br she was carrying wrapped in tissue happiness br the silky slither in a shiny bag br which proved the truth br of what he might have saidbr br Michael Shepherdbr br