Snow Falls on Lake Michigan

Eli, the old man at the small supermarket at the intersection, said that it had never snowed before Halloween in Evanston. While stacking large and small pumpkins on the straw pile beside the door, he looked up at the sky that was about to snow in the evening. Xia Nan seemed to see her own reflection in his blue eyes: "Nancy, hide in your small room, take a hot bath, drink a glass of mulled wine, and don't go to the library tonight. You know, a dog walker was shot in our community a few mornings ago." There was a police car parked in front of the cafe three blocks away from the supermarket. Xia Nan was carrying a backpack and standing by the haystack, kicking a small pumpkin with her toes and smiling nonchalantly. "This is America, this is Chicago." Eli shrugged, "I have never seen a Chinese girl as bold as you. You are very special, Nancy."