Flavia had never before wanted pierced ears. It hardly seemed appealing, shoving a pointed needle into one's ears for the opportunity to hang sparkling jewels or finely-wrought gold hoops from them. And as any decent scientist would argue, they were a possible safety hazard in the laboratory.

But now, looking at the darling silver bicycles, with Gladys half a world and more than a half-century distant, the notion didn't seem quite so abhorrent any longer. She's almost managed to convince herself of the decision, almost justified the expense of the earrings and the cost of the piercing, when she notices the scruffy, lost man at the other side of the store. She wanders closer, sparing idle looks at the necklaces and rings in the display cases.