Chapter 2

           Ahugeredtransporttruckstoodinfrontofthelittleroadsiderestaurant.Theverticalexhaustpipemutteredsoftly,andanalmostinvisiblehazeofsteel-bluesmokehoveredoveritsend.Itwasanewtruck,shiningred,andintwelve-inchlettersonitssides—OKLAHOMACITYTRANSPORTCOMPANY.Itsdoubletireswerenew,andabrasspadlockstoodstraightoutfromthehasponthebigblackdoors.Insidethescreenedrestaurantaradioplayed,quietdancemusicturnedlowthewayitiswhennooneislistening.Asmalloutletfanturnedsilentlyinitscircularholeovertheentrance,andfliesbuzzedexcitedlyaboutthedoorsandwindows,buttingthescreens.Inside,oneman,thetruckdriver,satonastoolandrestedhiselbowsonthecounterandlookedoverhiscoffeeattheleanandlonelywaitress.Hetalkedthesmartlistlesslanguageoftheroadsidestoher.«Iseenhimaboutthreemonthsago.Hehadaoperation.Cutsomepinout.Iforgetwhat.»Andshe—"Doesn’tseemnolongerthanaweekIseenhimmyself.Lookedfinethen.He’sanicesortofaguywhenheain’tstinko."Nowandthenthefliesroaredsoftlyatthescreendoor.Thecoffeemachinespurtedsteam,andthewaitress,withoutlooking,reachedbehindherandshutitoff.

           Outside,amanwalkingalongtheedgeofthehighwaycrossedoverandapproachedthetruck.Hewalkedslowlytothefrontofit,puthishandontheshinyfender,andlookedattheNoRidersstickeronthewindshield.Foramomenthewasabouttowalkondowntheroad,butinsteadhesatontherunningboardonthesideawayfromtherestaurant.Hewasnotoverthirty.Hiseyeswereverydarkbrownandtherewasahintofbrownpigmentinhiseyeballs.Hischeekboneswerehighandwide,andstrongdeeplinescutdownhischeeks,incurvesbesidehismouth.Hisupperlipwaslong,andsincehisteethprotruded,thelipsstretchedtocoverthem,forthismankepthislipsclosed.