Kanazaka

Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed Mitch flicking Laney’s ear, and her swatting his hand away. I felt as annoyed as she did, but he was like that, and I didn’t want to get involved. I couldn’t anyway because the restaurant was so busy. The lunch rush had arrived, and the lobby was packed. Burger Hut was usually like that during the middle of the day, but being mid-July made things worse. Most kids were out of school, and they were hungry—and thirsty. After taking another customer’s order at the counter, I spotted Mitch at it again, but this time he was even bolder. Casually and quickly, so he wouldn’t draw attention, he squeezed her behind as she reached for a drink at the conveyor near the drive-thru window. “Stop it!” she whined, reaching back to swat his hand again. Unfortunately, it wasn’t there, so she ended up swatting a soda cup instead, which tipped and spilled down the cart on which it was sitting. Todd was running shift that day, and he immediately turned around

The white neon sign beckoned Paul toward the entrance of Mirror Ball, downtown Los Angeles’ first-ever hostess club. The venue promised to be a haven for the weary, downtrodden souls who sought an escape from heartbreak, or from the crushing demands of everyday life. As the sign’s cursive letters came into view, he could see that a large crowd had already lined up outside the entrance. So, it wouldn’t be a quiet haven, but perhaps he could drown his sorrows in music and drink. Afraid that the room would quickly fill to capacity, Paul rushed to the end of the line and waited. Ironic, but it was all he could do. The wait could have been more pleasant, but that was yet another aspect of life that he couldn’t control. It was still early spring, so the night was cool, and the moisture in the air threatened rain. Cars honked in traffic, and people chatted on their phones or to each other. Feeling the chill and the sensory bombardment, Paul wrapped his coat tighter around him. Behind