Three o'clock in the afternoon.
A black Ford was parked outside the burger joint.
Douglas stood there, leaning against the car, eating his burger and watching the people pass by.
He devoured the food, feigning indifference, while observing his surroundings through his glasses.
A cold Coke was the perfect way to wake up. He couldn't stop drinking it.
Looking up, he saw the illuminated Muffin Electronics sign flashing brightly on the side of the sooty movie theater.
There were signs advertising Muffins on the utility poles, and people in the company's work uniforms walked past him.
"Hmm..." Douglas narrowed his eyes, took another bite, crumpled the wrapper, and slurped the last of his drink through the straw. He walked straight to the trash can.
Then suddenly Douglas stopped.
He turned, and out of the corner of his eye he saw McCloskey in a gray hoodie looking back at him.
McCloskey was leaning against the phone booth across the street, grinning.
Douglas froze, his instincts kicking in.
As if realizing he had made eye contact with Douglas from 20 feet away, McCloskey disappeared, blending into the flow of traffic.
---
It was five o'clock on a Saturday night in October, and the cabs were lined up outside the station in the neighboring town of Lincolntown.
The drivers were packed tightly together, struggling to attract passengers.
Douglas, who had calculated the number of cars and the flow of passengers during normal times from his research, raised his hand at the right time, turned the wheel, and joined the line.
Soon a young woman approached his black Ford.
She was wearing a gray formal suit and had no makeup on her face.
She muttered her destination to Douglas, then remained silent, gazing at the scenery outside.
Douglas said, "Sweets are good when you're tired from work. The cocoa in this café is delicious. It warms you up."
He looked in the rearview mirror.
The girl in the back seat ignored him.
Douglas nonchalantly adjusted the mirror.
She had blond hair in a ponytail and a beautifully shaped nose and lips.
Her eyes were calm, looking outward.
Douglas, sensing that she wasn't in the mood for conversation, kept his mouth shut, opened the window a little, and concentrated on driving.
"Surprisingly, about twenty-five years old?"
Her voice broke the silence - a slightly deep, bittersweet tone.
Douglas guessed she was asking about his age.
"Hey. Are you ignoring me this time?" she asked teasingly.
Douglas chuckled, realizing that she had ignored him earlier. He looked at her reflection in the mirror.
"Not at all. I froze when a girl like you called me. No one is usually interested in me."
"Like me?"
"A beautiful girl."
"Nothing to be flattered about," she said, raising an eyebrow. "So how old are you?"
"I'm twenty. Just kidding - I'm thirty."
"Wow, you look really old!"
"Hahaha. I guess I'm not very glamorous or anything. Just a lonely man."
"I hate the smell of old men. But you talk more than I expected. You seem smart when you talk thoughtfully."
"Don't be fooled. I'm a complete idiot."
"Strange way to talk," she said with a smile.
They both chuckled.
She leaned forward to get a better look at Douglas' eyes in the mirror.
As she rested her hand on the headrest of the seat, the ring on her left pinkie sparkled in the light.
"I have to go to work now. Do I look tired? I've been to the café you mentioned. I recommend their milk tea," she said, leaning forward to look at his taxi license.
"Hey, Douglas Steyer. You look younger in this photograph-without the beard."
"Yeah. I wish they'd take a new picture that looked cooler. The real one is even better."
"Oh, you're so confident."
"Yes, I'm a self-promoter."
"I like funny people," she admitted.
"An all-white dog was stuck in a cul-de-sac," Douglas joked.
"Huh? ...The tail was white, too?"
"Yeah, so let's back up LOL! Just kidding."
She covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.
Douglas watched her and laughed as well.
After chatting and laughing for a while, they agreed to meet for dinner sometime.
Am I being too forward? Douglas wondered. No, it feels as easy as sitting on the same bench as someone in the park.
And the quickest way to make friends is to eat together. Food reveals everything about a person - their upbringing, their personality.
They readily agreed and both thought it was a good idea.
Douglas's taxi pulled up in front of a black factory on Pallance Street, shrouded in white smoke.
Slowly she stepped out.
After receiving payment, Douglas held out his hand to her.
"If you'd like, tell me your name today."
"Oh, that's it, sorry."
Her blonde hair blew in the wind and her eyes softened.
"My name is Sheryl. I'm also 20 years old."
Douglas noticed a man in a silver coat talking to a security guard outside the factory.
Concerned, he waved to her and quickly closed the door.
He heard that Sheryl's shift ended at six the next morning.
Douglas offered to pick her up then, but She
ryl smiled and reminded him that tomorrow was her day off.
They agreed to meet again tomorrow night at six in front of the station.
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