Town

Obviously, he picked town.

The walk into the heart of Green Valley was longer than he remembered, but still short in the long scheme of walking. Ten minutes up the road and he saw the buildings that made up what could graciously be called "downtown". There was a grocery store, a diner, and a bar if he remembered properly, on top of at least a dozen other businesses that littered the few nestled blocks. Ethan pondered how they stayed in business with such a small community, but he supposed when there was one only one of everything, staying afloat wasn't hard.

It only took another few minutes to reach the square proper, and Ethan was quick to get about his business. People milled about, and just about every one of them gave him a curious look. He stuck out like a sore thumb in such a small town, and a sense of dread sparked to life in him. Dread, that now he was going to have to play the introduction game.

While not a true introvert, Ethan quickly tired of social interactions, and now he teetered on the brink of having dozens of them in one day.

But as he shopped, casting glances around him as much as he did the shelves, his dread turned to anticipation. Despite all the looks, stares really, nobody came up to him. Anticipation turned to mild annoyance. Was he not good enough to talk to? Was this some form of small-town hazing? Was he being ostracized?

Muttering to himself, he walked up and down the rows, his frustrations pausing only long enough to marvel at just how much name-brand stuff they had here. Honestly, he had been expecting it to be more akin to a farmers' market, and not so well stocked. A few more stares brought him back to annoyance, a feeling that lingered all the way 'til checkout.

The cashier was an older man, bald but with the bushiest mustache Ethan had seen in his life. As the man started to ring up the items, he cast Ethan a curious look.

"Ethan, right?"

"Uh," Ethan blinked, caught off guard by his name. "Yeah..."

The older man chuckled, a fatherly laugh that put Ethan at ease. "The back of your head burning?"

"What? Oh.." Ethan glanced around. The stares. "Kinda."

"They're just curious. Don't worry, they don't bite."

Biting wasn't his worry. "How do you know my name?"

"Oh! Well," the older man wiggled his mustache, the gesture something ripped from an old black and white movie. "Whole town heard about your grandma, my condolences by the way."

"Thanks." Ethan shifted, suddenly feeling more introverted than usual.

"Small town like this word travels fast, so if you moving in was supposed to be a secret, well," he shrugs. "Cat's out of the bag."

Ethan shifted again. It was never supposed to be a 'secret', so he wasn't mad, but being subject to a town's worth of gossip made his stomach twist slightly.

"Don't fret. Almost nobody will bother you. Whole town knows this is a difficult time for you. The staring is just them resisting the urge to introduce themselves."

"Hm," Ethan mulled over the man's words, picking it apart and mulling it over. "Almost nobody?"

The old man smiles. "I'm sure you'll be getting a pie or two before you know it. That'll be $104.85."

Blinking, Ethan snaps to attention, not realizing he had zoned out. A payment and a pleasantry later Ethan was outside, along with two loaded bags.

Sucking in a breath of fresh air, Ethan starts down the road.