She got up in a more dignified manner than this place was used to seeing, turned and walked out the door.

I was now alone with my coffee and once again wishing for the comfort of just one shot of Belvedere. Missing person. Naive wife. A trip down to Brownwood, probably. More than anything else, the job sounded boring.

Finishing my coffee I decided to take a stroll up the block, maybe clear my head. As I walked out the door the moist air and darkness put me in a better mood but not by much. There was that drizzle of polluted water that constantly seems to cling to the urban sprawl, giving the city an oily shine. The usual collection of rape-gangs and lowlifes could be heard in the distance, their presence could be felt without ever having to see them. I lit a cigarette and began to walk North.

A billboard above a nearby overpass showed a man’s hand loading a clip into a pistol. It read Carrying Protection Saves Lives! Remember if you’re 21 or older, IT’S THE LAW!

I went home ready for bed.