A SENSE OF COMMUNITY: A night at the 7-Eleven

The online reviews for this motel and the part of the city it’s in are downright scary. But it’s the only low-priced room available in all of Phoenix, Arizona tonight.

We get the key card for our room.

The door swings open and we stare into the darkness, half expecting someone to jump out at us. No zombie lunges, no chainsaw roars, so I take the next step and reach around the corner to turn on the light.