I still wonder what my life would be like if I never stopped at that roadside stand in the

middle of nowhere. My friends Max, Kim and I were celebrating our last camping trip of the summer

and when we saw those ripe watermelons shining in the sun, we knew we had to buy one.

While Max smoked and Kim knocked on the watermelons like she was hunting for buried treasure,

I examined the knicknacks for sale inside the little wooden stand, pottery from a local artist,

embroidered signs, fruit preserves and honey, and the strangest wooden statues I'd ever seen in my life.

They were shaped like men, but stretched, something about the sickening thinness of their arms,

legs and torsos gave my gut a nasty twist. Their clothing was made from stitched together scraps,

their beards were hay or dried moss, their eyes were tiny colored stones that glittered in the gloom.

I reached out for one. I see you've noticed the tall men. The old woman's voice in the shadows made me

jump. How long had she been sitting in the darkness watching me? Despite the summer heat,

she was wrapped head to toe in a wool shawl. Her rocking chair creaked as she leaned back and forth.

Tall men, I took the bait. Oh, it's just a story the local kids tell. The woman flashed me a

toothless grin. You can read it on the pamphlet you get with one of these statues when you buy one.

I make them myself, you know. I could see where this was going. How much for one of the, uh,

tall men? At just that moment, Kim came running up with an enormous watermelon. I finally picked one.

She panted. Do you charge by the pound or for the melon and the tall man? I'd call it an even ten

dollars. The what? Kim malved at me. He don't have a college discount, do you? I joked.

There was no response, but the creaking of the shopkeeper's rocking chair. I looked around at the

dusty jars and weird statues. It looked like it had been ages since anyone had bought anything

but produce from this woman. I lay a ten dollar bill on a silver tray and the woman nodded to a

stack of pamphlets beside the tall men. Take anyone you like, she grinned. By the way,

...