There were no signs of Clara's father or of the men whose helicopter had crashed in front of (as she found out much later) the cabin of astrophysicists with rival theories. None of these people knew what she looked like, she realized as she entered the barn in search of a sandwich.
In the barn, she bought swiss cheese, baked ham, organic whole wheat rolls, dried apples, peanut butter cookies, a bottle of strawberry-flavored spring water, two blue enamel plates, clear plastic cups and a bag of plastic knives and forks. Then she waited until a woman with a gingham apron made the sandwich she had ordered. It was mozzarella, eggplant, basil leaves, and tomato -- on a French roll.