Leah tells me about the rest of her previous conversation. It's not encouraging and according to Hope and a man named Doc, the Tower sounds like a bad place. "Well, I won't be going there anytime soon. Besides Hope, it seems like some people already have."

I ask what's normal, not sure that I understand before telling her about the scarecrow. She pauses, looking thoughtful as she says, "From everyone's reactions to things like that, no. I don't think they are exactly normal for Excolo, but these sorts of things are happening more frequently. Perhaps someday it will be normal."

More frequently? Well, at least the newspaper will always have a story to share. She leans forward and I'm almost hypnotized by her big, blue eyes. "I would like to hear about the walking, flaming scarecrow. Where was it walking? and why was it on fire? did anyone try to put it out?"

I lean forward, wondering if she's wearing perfume as I reach for the teapot. "The scarecrow was walking in front of the sheriff's office, and only the head was flaming, or at least part of it." Milk and sugar are added to my cup and even though it not as good as coffee, I like it. "I don't know why it was on fire. It arrived on the scene that way and it didn't seem to bother it any during the time I watched."

Thinking about her last question, I reply, "I saw two horse-riders go back and forth with it but how it ended, I don't know. I was inside the beauty salon at that point."

One of my lemon scones is half gone when I ask, "Besides the scarecrow and the twins, I heard most of town lost its memory for a while, and before that, one of the mayor candidates was murdered but the killer was never found." I butter another piece of scone and say, "When you said these kinds of things are happening more frequently, did you mean things like that?"