NARRATIVE of WARD COURIER, Continued

October, 2009

BUFFALO, NY

I moved a foot to the side, and the guy's eyes turned to me. He had to have been a hundred pounds heavier. He didn't seem to know what was coming over him.

"Can we help you?" I said. "Are you all right?"

He tried to say something but his stretched-to-breaking lips no longer worked. Whatever it was came out the back of his throat like a woeful gurgle. The sound again could have been ...