The New Year's Day Search
by Kathleen Tonn

The two walked down the sidewalk. He with his left arm around her waist, and she with her right hand in his jean's pants pocket. Silently they took each step. On the other side of the street, they observed a street vendor bent over and peering down into an open man-hole. The vendor's curious behavior caught the young couple's attention, so they crossed the street to ask him what he was looking for.

The vendor didn't even notice the young couple's approach as he was now on his hands and knees looking down into the what ever...