"Mr. Shamandar," one of them said with a heavy dose of fake sincerity as he sat down uninvited at the table. "I’m Dan McEwan of the Times and this is my cameraman, Randy Simmons." Simmons, grinning like an embarrassed hyena with an outdated mustache, nodded a greeting and hefted a camera from around his neck. "We’d really like to take some pictures for a feature on you while I just ask a few questions. We’ll try not to interrupt your meal at all."