wizard-of-the-pigeons

The woman looked up at him in a bored but guarded way as she went on
shoveling popcorn. “Can I help you?” she asked in a voice that indicated she
didn’t want to.
“Popcorn.” Wizard was amazed at his croak. He tried to clear his throat and
coughed instead as he brought the change out of his pocket and proffered it to
her.
“It’s cold, you know. I’m just cleaning out the machine.”
“That’s okay. It’ll be fine.”
“I already counted out for the night.”
He tried to reply, but a chill hit him. He pulled his jacket closed across his
chest. Her eyes narrowed, then relaxed into a guarded pity. Poor junkie. She
snapped open a small bag and packed popcorn into it. She pushed it into his hand
and dropped his coins in the till without counting them.
Wizard took the bag awkwardly. She had stuffed it over full and as he put his
fingers in, a few kernels leaped out onto the floor. A man who had walked up
beside him glared down at the popcorn on the floor as he commented loudly.
“Arcade stores are getting ready to close now.” Wizard nodded without looking
at him and headed toward the tall doors.
Outside, a gust of wind carried off the top layer of popcorn.
The darkening skies had banished the pigeons. No one would salvage the
flurry white puffs until they were sodden and gray beneath the dawn. He was just
as glad there were no birds to greet him. There wasn’t enough here for a tenth of
his flock.
He stuffed a few kernels into his own mouth and immediately lost his
appetite for more. A fit of shivering rattled him. He twisted the top of the bag to
seal it and stuffed it into his pocket.
“So here you are,” she said.
He turned, needing Cassie. She smiled up at him and the depth of his
misfortune engulfed him. He could only stare at her. Her face was turned up to
his and raindrops misted her lashes. He realized belatedly that it was raining.
Drops were darkening her blond hair. She was giving him a strange look, halfsmile,
half-frown.
“Don’t look so blank, honey. Lynda, remember? I told you to meet me here
this morning, for breakfast. But I was late and I guess you gave up on me. So I