 Is Haron’s story true?
She had been known to say that there are over a billion men in the world, a goodly percentage of whom are eligible bachelors, and that the right one would come along simply because she had been waiting for him. All others need not apply. Haron Gorka—the nationality could be anything. He had no nationality for all intents and purposes; he was an international man, a figure among figures, a paragon.... First place, I don't know any Haron Gorka—" Matilda kept the alarm from creeping into her voice. As far us the gentry of Cedar Falls was concerned, Haron Gorka did not exist. If she could not find Haron Gorka, that was one thing; but she knew that she'd rather not return home and face the widow Penshaws, at least not for a while yet. Twenty years from now, this could be Matilda Penshaws—complete with plain gray dress, rimless spectacles, gray hair, suspicious eyes, and a broom-stick figure.... Certainly a man as well-educated as Haron Gorka would be an avid reader, and unless he had a permanent residence here in Cedar Palls, one couldn't expect that he'd have his own library with him. This being the case, a third-rate collection of books was far better than no collection at all, and perhaps the librarian would know Mr. Haron Gorka.
 Yes. Matilda confirms when she sees the “shooting star.”
 No. Haron only tells her the story in the hopes of getting his wife to come home,  Yes. Matilda confirms when she sees the “shooting star.”  Yes, though only his wife is aware of that.  No. Both he and his wife are truly delusional.