17.08.08 - 4:38 p.m.
on his way back from the car, he stood for a moment then squatted, peering down at the remnants of something on the pavement.
"what is it?" anna asked.
he paused, straightened up and said, "it's nothing. just a piece of someone's tire."
later, as i crossed the street to leave, i saw that it wasn't a piece of black rubber but a dead snake, a casualty of the day's light rain and late dusk.