Midday in an Unfamiliar Alley

The stranger stood at the mouth of the alley. Heat rising from the asphalt wrapped warmly around the soles of his feet. From beyond a wall came an unfamiliar language. Red cloth hung in a window fluttered in the wind. He raised a hand to his brow and shaded his eyes from the sun. A stray cat sitting on the wall watched him. The cat blinked and vanished over the roof on the other side. From the end of the alley, the smell of broth mixed with the smell of laundry came riding the wind. Should he follow that smell, or stand here a little longer? Both felt like fine choices. He hadn't decided anything yet. Only the wind passed through the alley.