Darlene sat at the station watching the first snowflakes of winter land on the tracks. When the train arrived she boarded with a woman dressed all in black who walked briskly despite an obvious limp. She must be new to the area Darlene thought uneasily.

"Thank you for dining with us," the waiter said. "Tonight's dinner specials are wild monkfish dipped in chocolate pesto and peanut butter bison bathed in pine needle. For dessert, we have fresh ostrich gelato. Do you have any food allergies we should be aware of?"