“Mamie,” she says, “I’m going to buy the kids a surprise.” By surprise, Materena means a family-size packet of chocolate cookies—something nice to eat that her kids don’t often have. She might even buy a big, juicy watermelon on top of the surprise. “I can’t believe . . .” Materena stops talking to look at her mother, standing still, with a pained expression on her face. “Mamie?” Loana hurries to hide behind a rack of clothes reduced by 50 percent, with Materena following. “Look at that man,” Loana whispers. “There, walking slow steps, a pandanus bag on his arm.” Materena looks at the old man and looks at her mother. Is she supposed to know that old man? The man stops to sit on a bench and roll a cigarette. He doesn’t notice the two women standing next to the rack of clothes reduced by 50 percent—eyeing him. He gets a book from his pandanus bag and reads, all the while smoking his cigarette.
