i was too happy that he 'd left me another surprise . on annes twenty-ninth birthday , dan had dragged his hands across his face and groaned . i was returning home from work one evening and riding an escalator when i saw the most beautiful girl coming down the other side . i say , looking at where i been cutting . and smell the scent of her with every breath of air i took in . he had n't really been given a lot of that in his life . 