Lacey Wood

	It's a cold day in the city.  Between the high buildings, the 
wind howls down on the streets below.  A man walks dejectedly down 
the sidewalk, shoulders hunched to the wind, looking about as unhappy 
as one can be without flinging oneself off a bridge.  He flops down 
on a bench in front of a bus station with a sigh.  A man is already 
sitting there, reading a newspaper.  He looks up, startled by the 
newcomer.
	"What?" growls the depressed man.
	The other man raises his newspaper and shakes his 
head.  "Nothing."  He lowers the newspaper.  "Something getting 
you down?"
	"I lost my job.  I caught my girlfriend boinking some guy in 
my bed.  My dog got run over by a FedEx truck.  Yeah, something's 
getting me down."  He pounds his fist against the armrest of the 
bench.  "Dammit all."
	"I don't suppose this is a good time to tell you this, but 
the buses are running late today."
	The man swears loudly.  "Why?  Why me?  Am I in hell?"
	Folding up his newspaper, the other man stands up, turns to 
leave and says, "Kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it?"