He stepped to the counter and raised the Candle-Fly Camp flyer.
“Thanks for your help. I’ll try this one.”
The Banana lifted his chin.
“It’s nothing, brother. Withholding help in a world like this? That’s almost the same as doing evil on purpose, ya feel me?”
Green wasn’t sure how to answer.
“Do you think those others are going to Candle-Fly too?”
“Nah, man. Kinkaid Cabins. Cheap, but still a tourist place. Not like where you’re going.”
Green’s core temperature dropped.
“Where I’m going? So…what’s Candle-Fly like then?”
The Banana smirked.
“Chill. I’m not sending you anyplace I wouldn’t want to go myself. It’s like you, bro. Different. That’s what you were asking me for, right?”
“Maybe.”
“Well, you tell Dancer that Alf says ‘hey.’ ”
Alf hooked a thumb at his wordless friend.
“Jerome too.”
“Okay. I will. Thanks, Alf.”
Alf handed Green a banana from a basket on the counter and then leaned in close.
“It’s got potassium. You might need that.”
He laughed a genuine laugh. Behind him, Jerome’s expression cracked for the first time, shifting to a cringe of embarrassment. He shook his head and gave Green an apologetic shrug, then returned to his mask of indifference.
Green took the fruit and turned to leave.
“Hey, what’s your name, bro?” Alf asked.
“It’s Green.”
“Alright, Green. If you end up staying at Candle-Fly, we’re gonna be neighbors. Me and Jerome live down the road in Hickory, but we spend most of our time here. We’ll see you around.”
He turned to go, then paused.
“Hey, why didn’t you ask that last group to pick a card?”
Jerome’s eyes smiled a fraction and he gave another ghost of a shrug.
“Life’s a mysterious thing, ain’t it?” Alf said.
Green managed half a wave as he departed, but already his thoughts were back out in the darkness.
Outside, Green watched the college kids climb into a boxy van and pull out onto the dark road. A gravel-dust specter rose up as they departed and flew away on the breeze. He pumped his gas and tried to keep his eyes off the storefront moths.
The numbers on the pump clicked up to thirty dollars, then stopped.
