She shook her head. “She came here to get drunk and get laid,” she said, “I guess she scored on both.”I was thinking Ed’s friend was the one...who scored, but decided to get off the subject.“So what did you come here to do?” I asked, trying not to look pushy or obvious.She cocked her head at me and smiled. “Oh, to celebrate the New Year,” she said, “but I’m open for anything.”She had a definite come-hither look, so I came-hither. I leaned over slightly and put my hand behind her head, just barely. She had bright blue eyes that looked back at me, and a smile that I couldn’t help but smile back at. I looked away, embarrassed again. ‘Is there something wrong with how I look?’ ‘No,’ I respond. ‘You’re very pretty. And that’s why my confidence has gone to mush. I’m not always this shy.’ She then stood up and sat in the seat next to me, still keeping maybe six inches between us. ‘Well, you don’t have to hide who you are. I don’t bite. Until I know you better.’ She laughed. She had a cute. His store had been burglarized three times and once they had even taken several of the animals whom he had worried about much more than the money taken from the cash drawer.There had been muggings over the years, but he had been lucky in that respect. He nevertheless unconsciously quickened his pace a bit."Hi, Mr. Branham," came the sweet voice from the corner.The prostitutes had moved in a few years ago when the neighborhood had begun to deteriorate. A lot of the long time residents were. His wife dressed in a colorful duppurta.Together the couple did not look pleasing to the eye. They seemed odd, as the husband was thin in places, plump in others, especially under the chin. His wife was scrawny and emaciated. Tariq knew this couple was not very pleasing to behold, but they were wealthy and appeared very devout. Tariq knew, had they been beautiful aesthetically, they would have never been so devout. Not that religion attracts the ugly, but most who cling to the messages of Allah.