The unending storm means that Arlene's one guaranteed method of social interaction has, ironically, dried up. People still stop by, but not often, driven by desperate necessity instead of idle curiosity.

She's not often in the tavern, because there's only so much social interaction Arlene is comfortable with. But towards the end of the week, she finds out what stir-crazy actually feels like, and that's what brings her down. There shouldn't be many people, right? Not with all this rain.

As it turns out, there's only one other customer there, and it's someone Arlene likes. She thanks the tavernkeeper and takes the chair next to Detlef, giving him a rare smile -- or at least, smiling in his general direction.

"I was told," she says, "that you could do with some cheering up. Is that right?"