ABSTRACT
THE WHIPPET-THIN YOUNG MAN walked close behind the woman into the beauty salon on Parliament Street. To Jennifer’s old eyes his physical closeness to her was protective as well as aggressive, and held a threat to anyone who might harm the young woman, for that was his privilege. By the condition of the young woman’s eye and the right side of her face it was a privilege he had exercised recently. They seemed to be in their late twenties, and walked both loose and tight together as they made their way towards the middle station of the manicure bench. The young woman sat down while he stood, shoulders bent, over her.
