She collected mail from the box outside her door . More medical bills to gobble her savings . An ad . Gone were the days of invitations and letters . The few friendships she ’ d maintained ended in funerals and graveside visits . None of her family survived , either . She was truly alone in the normal sense , which explained her devotion to the flocks in the park .
She ’ d go hungry , buying bird seed instead of groceries , before she ’ d allow them to do without . They were the children she ’ d never had .
A knock jostled her from a doze . She grunted as she pushed from her overstuffed chair by the picture window in her parlor . She straightened her spine as best she could to peer through the side window at the stranger on her porch . She pulled the chain lock in place and opened the door the few inches its brass chain allowed . She pressed her face to the gap and inquired , “ Yes ?”
A man of about thirty li ed a page on his clipboard . “ Ma ’ am , I ’ m with the gas company . We ’ re here to check the meter .”
“ The meter ’ s outside , behind the rhododendron .”
“ Actually , I ’ m supposed to check your internal monitor . It ’ s located in your basement .”
“ No , young man , I had an external meter installed so nobody would have any reason to enter my house .”
“ I understand , ma ’ am , but company policy- ”