Presumption

I looked up from my newspaper and glanced upon a dark man in a dark overcoat. Our eyes met and we stared at each other for a few seconds. I looked away self-consciously, but I still gave several furtive glances at him as I pretended to read my newspaper. He lit a cigarette and peered into the bank’s window. For an instant our eyes caught again in the window reflection, and I turned immediately back to the newspaper.

Finally, he flicked his half-spent cigarette onto the sidewalk and faced the doors. A woman exited the bank and joined him. Comfortable at last, I began to read my newspaper in earnest.