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Ezra laughed and swept the bib off me with a dramatic flourish He returned my sharpened razor to e He whistled athabits

Then I stood outside the barbershop in the bright Septee of the blade

“Why, Ben, you’re looking at that razor the way irl!”

I turned around to see Elizabeth Begley standing right there beside me We were practically elbow to elbow

“I was ad, I have never been able to put half as good an edge on a razor”

“Oh, Ben, I don’t believe there’s anything you can’t do,” she said, “if you decide to go after it”

Noas this craziness? Was ht back?

I flicked the razor shut and slipped it into my pocket

“Coht new boots for Eht”

We walked the sidewalk of Commerce Street, which was fairly deserted at this hour

“A little bird told ers’ dress party the other night,” she said

“I wouldn’t say guest of honor,” I said “But I guess so back here”

“You must tell them all you’ve coet their tongues wagging”

She laughed, and so did I

“Speaking of people who love to talk behind other people’s backs…” She nodded in the direction of Lenora Godas walking toward us on the sidewalk across the street, apparently lost in thought