He un-mutes his program and, like he does every minute of every day, tries to breathe through the pounding of his heart.
"I heard they have mules you can ride down into the canyon," she says. "You think that's true?"
Her hand is resting on the table between them. He reaches over and grasps it. In his mind's eye he sees her body rocking forward and back as the mule traverses the rocky trail, her reddish-gray hair lit from behind by the desert sun.
"I'm sure of it," he says.