Penny had another thought that had gnawed at her previously. She wondered whether, if Emily, who had been born to be married, couldn’t make it to the altar, how could she, Penny, accomplish it? Was there something or somebody out there who would stop her?

***

“Please deposit one hundred dollars for the first three minutes.”

It wasn’t $100, of course, but to somebody as parsimonious as Alfred, the operator’s request sounded like a small fortune. He carefully counted out the correct change from the coins in his hand and placed them in the appropriate slots of the pay phone. Someday when he was rich, he would live in a big house with two telephones, not a dingy apartment without any.

The coins chimed as they dropped, and the operator, satisfied, put through the call. After three rings, a female voice said hello.

“Hello, Mrs. Singleton?” Alfred used his most persuasive voice. “This is Alfred. Alfred Ward. I went to high school with Penny. I just arrived in California, and I thought I’d look her up. I was wondering if you could tell me her address.”

“Alfred? Your name sounds familiar. Were you on the basketball team?”

“No ma’am. Listen, I’m on a pay phone-”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to run on. Penny lives in Lomita. I’ve got the address right here somewhere.”

“If you’re talking about the apartment on Narbonne, she just moved out of there.”

“She did? I can’t keep up with that girl. Well, she’s going on a trip. And in a couple of weeks she’s moving into a brand new place. In a city with a funny name. Terrence or something like that.”

“You mean Torrance?”

“Torrance. Yes, that’s it.”

“Do you know what her address will be there?”