Today we went to the Western store, where I tried on rhinestone belts while Mike looked at cowboy boots.

This one guy- fifty years old, unshaven, six foot, two hundred fifty pounds, in Carhartt overalls, wearing baseball cap, stared at me for a long time but I avoid eye contact in places like that. Eventually he built up the nerve to drawl, “Son, the guys’ belts are OVER THERE.”

I was still interested in the belts though I stopped trying them on. I lingered.

“They do seem kind of over-the-top,” I replied.