"Alright. Ya'll be blessed. And don't forget to go to church."--from a security guard at a furniture store.

This woman was a stranger to me and my boyfriend. All I did was compliment her perfume as I sat in the truck watching her place checkmarks on my receipt as I picked up my new furniture. Usually strangers say, “Goodbye” after doing business with you, but this woman didn’t. Her nails were fake, but they were pretty—long and orange. They made me think of pumpkins and Halloween. Candy corn and black tights.