riddle.Themeatpattieswerelineduponthegriddlelikebrownpolkadots,sizzling.Thesweetsmellofgrilliburrowedintoeveryporeofmybodylikeaswarmofmicroscopicbugs,dissolvingintomybloodandcirculatingtothefarthesters,thenmassingtogetherinsidemyhermeticallysealedhungercavern,gingtoitspinkwalls.

    Apileofwhite-edburgerswasgrowingnearby.Iwaograbandtearintothem,butIcouldainthatsuactwouldbesistentwithourobjective.Ihadtowait.Ikitarea,Istartedsweatingundermyskimask.

    TheMaldspeoplesneakedglahemuzzleoftheshotgun.Iscratchedmyearswiththelittlefingerofmylefthand.MyearsalwaysgetitchywhenImnervous.Jabbingmyfioahroughthewool,Iwasmakingthegunbarrelwobbleupanddown,whichseemedtobotherthem.Itcouldnthavegoneoffactally,becauseIhadthesafetyon,buttheydidntknowthatandIwasntabouttotellthem.

    Mywifetedthefinishedhamburgersandputthemintotwosmallshoppingbags,fifteenburgerstoabag.

    "Whydoyouhavetodothis?"thegirlaskedme."Whydontyoujusttakethemoneyandbuysomethingyoulike?WhatsthegoodofeatingthirtyBigMacs?"

    Ishookmyhead.

    Mywifeexplained,"Weresorry,really.Buttherewerentanybakeriesopen.Iftherehadbeen,wewouldhaveattackedabakery."

    Thatseemedtosatisfythem.Atleasttheydidntaskanymorequestions.ThenmywifeorderedtweCokesfromthegirlandpaidforthem.

    "Werestealingbread,nothingelse,"shesaid.Thegirlrespohaplicatedheadmovement,sortoflikenoddingandsortoflikeshaking.Sherobablytryingtodobothatthesametime.IthoughtIhadsomeideahowshefelt.

    Mywifethe