Chapter 29

James stood. “Few minutes? More like forty. You could have called.” He scanned the man up and down. “You barely resemble your photograph. What is it, ten years old? And you’re at least fifty pounds heavier than you claimed.”

The man shuffled and gripped his own hands. “Well, you know, it’s the Internet. No one tells the truth.”

“I do.” He stared the man down with unblinking eye contact.

The man turned and walked out.

A server arrived. “What may I bring you, sir?”

“Rum and coke. Better make it two, and I’ll have the seafood lasagna, green salad with French dressing.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

James ate, had a total of six rum and cokes, ate, and left. Not the first time he drove with too much booze in his system.

When he got home, he cursed because the garage door wouldn’t open despite constant pressing of the remote control’s button.

His neighbor walked up, what was his name? Began with a K.

“Hey, what’s up? Prob?”

Why can’t he speak regular English?