At a riverside commune, a guy stood at the curb, waiting for the light to change. After a few minutes a girl came to stand next to him. She wore pair heavy black boots, a bag over one shoulder, and a nice, modest sundress. It had daisies on it. She'd slapped stickers on the boot buckles.

Idling at the road for a minute or two, they shared a companionable irritation. Her eyes were level with his shoulder.

“Long light,” she said.

“...” he agreed.

“Jeez you're big.”

Far Reach crossed his arms. “Question in the name of science,” he said, tipping his head, “Purely. What do you people go for around here?”

The crossing chimed.

Neither one of them moved.

“Why,” said the girl next to him, scuffing her heel with a laugh, “That entirely depends on who’s doing the asking.”

// BACK