"Always room for one more," I said, leaning back a little.

"Last room on the right," the innkeeper said as he turned away.

Their own room, television, bed the bloody lot he said.

"I understand," said the girl, and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"The front room on the second floor," the girl said.

Such rooms, he said, "become exactly what they are, places where people talk about anything other than business."

"Here you are," said the latter when the other had left the room.

A room with a sink across from the bed cost $14 a night, she said.

I called her room and a nurse said she couldn't talk.

"So you say," said the first man to enter the room.