Madge always hated those first five minutes after walking outside into a cold evening. Her limbs would shake profusely to the shock of the frigid temperature. She was most literally, uncontrollable. Joe never offered her his coat, he knew wisely enough that the brisk walking to the diner would warm her and soon enough she would be discarding her own coat to bathe herself in the night air.

The streets were empty at this hour, although it was still awfully early. Their feet tip-tapped on the shadowed sidewalks, crunching the red and gold leaves underfoot that lay in massive rotting heaps in the gutter’s of every respectable home in the neighbourhood. Madge and Joe never shared a single word during the trip. From time to time she would look over at him when she thought Joe wouldn’t notice, and take in his profile from underneath the faint glow of the yellow streetlamps overhead.

Almost instantly Joe would become severely annoyed and scowl back at Madge, finding her absolutely ridiculous.