The story is set as Florence abandons her life in Lubbock, Texas and begins her journey to Cairo, Egypt.  After all the cotton has been harvested.  The busy season is over.  Before she leaves, she decides to send one last letter to her pen pal.  The most telling letter.  A final message as the sender.  A complete confessional of the darker side of her life.  Her physical life that he was never witness to.  Her book of the dead.  

Her journey is somewhat involved because the jet age has only just begun and most flights still use clipper service.  

The letter never arrives.  She was hoping that it would arrive before she did and she wouldn't have to be there while he read it.  The letter never arrives and she is considerably worried.  She grows more and more nervous as her stay their continues.  

[Something settles her into Egypt.  Something allows her to forget her past.  Something assures her that she is accepted here.  That all life is accepted here.]  Once she finally settles in, she feels ready, prepared to elope with Shareef.  

[Looking at Newspaper Archives]

There is a bus ad for T.N.M. & O. Coaches, Inc. listed in the obituaries page.