Serpent Lake I don't need the world to see

The other man offered solace, platitudes, the usual. Riddle gave a tight-lipped smile and accepted as best he could, given the abandonment. Aye—maybe. Had a sister, she did. Sometimes I wonder if I caught the eye of the wrong one.

If that was a joke, he might've let the ensuing pause linger for effect; but the quiet was broken. It wasn't the camaraderie of a fellow man, but it was the offering of a name. It was only polite to answer the man.

That's a mite better than what me Ma settled on... Rudolph, can you imagine? Going through life the apple of me Ma's eye, and she thinks it fitting to call her first-born Rudolph! Family name, actually. Pa said so. Guess that means I'm Rudolph-number-two? He huffed, shaking his head as if that'd etcha-a-sketch the memory from his brain.

Could be she left due to that. The wife, I mean. Can't blame her there! Hah.