The Time Has Come............
It took a while, but Doyle called. We met at the Burger King in the Woodbridge Center Mall. He brought Givings with him.
"Well, Denny Boy, you did it. 12 Events in 6 months. Frankly, I don't think the People Upstairs thought you could do it."
"It's done, though. So what happens next?"
""First, we get back the Flasher. Givings will take charge of it."
I took it from my back pocket and handed it to he. It's such an innocuous looking thing that there was no need to conceal it. Giving took it, puled out a small notebook from somewhere, and made some sort of notation. She put the notebook and the Flasher in her side pocket.
"Anything else?" I wanted this whole thing over.
Nothing like that. The People Upstairs are grateful that you were able to carry out this assignment..I mean complete the project. There's just a few things more that they want you to understand."
"Then get on with it."
"OK. They thank you, I've said that. They want you to know that your family is no longer in danger of whatever it is you thought might happen to them. And they want me to remind you that you're still carrying around the tracer and they haven't decided what to do with it yet."
"What does that mean? Are they gonna leave it, or try to have it removed? For Christ's sake, Its implanted in my heart!"
"Technically, it's implanted in James' heart. You just happen to get it as a transplant. But that's neither here nor thee. What matters is that you still have it, and it belongs to us. The People Upstairs are still deciding how to proceed."
At that point, Givings stood up.
"It was a pleasure working with you." She said. "You did what you were told."
She walked out into the mall. Doyle looked after her for a while then turned to me.
"It's not over, Denny. I don't know what's gonna happen, but I don't think that the People Upstairs are just gonna let it end this way. They still have a hold on you, and they ere pleased with how you handled things."
"What do you mean? What am I supposed to do?"
"I don't know. If I did, I'd tell you. I like you, Denny. You seem like nice guy. If I can help you, I will, but the People Upstairs aren't to be fooled with. I may be part of the Department, but I'm as expendable a the next guy."
"So, you're telling me that I'm stuck? I'm still in it?"
"For now, yeah. You'll just have to wait and see. They may let you go, but that tracker is an expensive piece of equipment. They'll want to do something about that. My advice is o just wait and see."
He stood up and offered me his hand. I stared at him, and didn't take it.
"Good luck, Denny. Somehow, I'll be in touch."
He walked out into the mall, following Givings.
What the hell happens now?
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
High Noon is 12 O'Clock High....
Yesterday, I was on the hunt. I know that the People Upstairs gave me until the end of the month, but I realized that that would just be dragging it out. Since yesterday, the 18th, would be the end of the 6 month original trial period I decided to go out and try to finish this whole Events thing off.
My intent was to go to the WalMart on Rt.e 27 in Edison, and wait in the parking lot until a likely target should up. I didn't get that far. Following one of my usual routines, I went to the Target on Parsonage Road, where I would just do some browsing. Then I went to the Barnes and Noble across the street which was attached to the Menlo Park Mall. I was browsing through Barnes and Noble when I decided to go into the mall and see what I could get for breakfast in the Food Court.
As went in the direction of the doorway to the mall I noticed that there were a few people sitting around in the Starbuck's area, by the store windows, reading, drinking, and whatever. I had an idea. I strolled back to the magazine racks, and noticed an older gentleman sitting on a bench beside the main entrance. He was in the sunlight, a magazine in his lap, and appeared to be dozing.
I turned, and went out the doorway by the mall, walking around inside for a few minutes. I'd completely forgotten about breakfast. Leaving the mall, I walk up the side of Barnes and Nobles and turned towards the main entrance. The sun was reflecting off the windows, making looking inside difficult.
I stopped short of the main entrance, taking the Flasher from my back pocket, and carrying it in my coat. I haven't tried doing this through a window since my second Event back in September or October of last year. It worked then, so there was no reason that it wouldn't work now. Moving up closer to the window, I could just make out the older gentleman, still sitting as I'd left him. I stopped where I was, turning to face the parking lot, and looked around. I waited for a car or two to pass, and a couple of people to enter the store, but it was pretty early on a weekday, so the traffic wasn't too heavy.
There was no one else around. I pulled the Flasher from my pocket as I was turning, then point, press, Flash, and I turned back to the lot. Heading for my car, I replace the Flasher in my back pocket. Getting in my car, I had no idea if the Event had taken place, but I knew that I was now hungry, so I left and went looking for a Dunkin Donuts. My cell phone went off with my text beep, but I ignored it. I found out later that they'd confirmed my 12th Event.
12 Events in 6 months. I'd met my obligation. It was now up to the People Upstairs.
Yesterday, I was on the hunt. I know that the People Upstairs gave me until the end of the month, but I realized that that would just be dragging it out. Since yesterday, the 18th, would be the end of the 6 month original trial period I decided to go out and try to finish this whole Events thing off.
My intent was to go to the WalMart on Rt.e 27 in Edison, and wait in the parking lot until a likely target should up. I didn't get that far. Following one of my usual routines, I went to the Target on Parsonage Road, where I would just do some browsing. Then I went to the Barnes and Noble across the street which was attached to the Menlo Park Mall. I was browsing through Barnes and Noble when I decided to go into the mall and see what I could get for breakfast in the Food Court.
As went in the direction of the doorway to the mall I noticed that there were a few people sitting around in the Starbuck's area, by the store windows, reading, drinking, and whatever. I had an idea. I strolled back to the magazine racks, and noticed an older gentleman sitting on a bench beside the main entrance. He was in the sunlight, a magazine in his lap, and appeared to be dozing.
I turned, and went out the doorway by the mall, walking around inside for a few minutes. I'd completely forgotten about breakfast. Leaving the mall, I walk up the side of Barnes and Nobles and turned towards the main entrance. The sun was reflecting off the windows, making looking inside difficult.
I stopped short of the main entrance, taking the Flasher from my back pocket, and carrying it in my coat. I haven't tried doing this through a window since my second Event back in September or October of last year. It worked then, so there was no reason that it wouldn't work now. Moving up closer to the window, I could just make out the older gentleman, still sitting as I'd left him. I stopped where I was, turning to face the parking lot, and looked around. I waited for a car or two to pass, and a couple of people to enter the store, but it was pretty early on a weekday, so the traffic wasn't too heavy.
There was no one else around. I pulled the Flasher from my pocket as I was turning, then point, press, Flash, and I turned back to the lot. Heading for my car, I replace the Flasher in my back pocket. Getting in my car, I had no idea if the Event had taken place, but I knew that I was now hungry, so I left and went looking for a Dunkin Donuts. My cell phone went off with my text beep, but I ignored it. I found out later that they'd confirmed my 12th Event.
12 Events in 6 months. I'd met my obligation. It was now up to the People Upstairs.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
For Information Call Four 11......
We've had a lot of snow lately. To me it seems like we've had more snow this year then we've had in a while, and personally, I'm sick of it. There was a big storm predicted for a week ago last Saturday, and we got a dusting. Then last Wednesday another "huge" storm was predicted, and we got about 14 inches. Another storm this morning, but not really of any consequence.
Anyway, it's last Wednesday's storm that I'm noting here. The snowed all day Wednesday, so by Thursday morning everyone was out assessing the damage. The roads, I have to say, were incredibly well cleaned. The best I've seen, ever. Unfortunately, this means that those of us who park on the streets have the added bonus of having to dig out from being plowed in. This on top of the 14 inches.
I went out in the morning, like everyone else, and cleaned off the car, which took a while, as you can imagine. But I wasn't going anywhere, because of the plow job. I figured I'd wait, and see how I was feeling in the afternoon. By 3 o'clock, the car in front of me had pulled out, which would've been a good thing, but someone had jumped into the space and was too close to my front grill for me to do anything. I went out anyway to move off some of the plowed snow.
Suddenly, a woman came over. She worked for the dentist across the street, and it was her car in front of me. She offered to move it, and in about 20 minutes or so, I was free! Of course, now I had to find a place I could park now, without getting myself stuck.
I drove around in my small community, and found a place on Melbourne, a small 2 block street that connects Claire to Green. But I noticed something else as well. Everyone else had stopped working on freeing their cars except for an old man just off the corner of Green on Melbourne. I had to drive around the block anyway in order to get to the spot I'd picked out.
I made the 3 corners and approached Melbourne on Green. I took out the Flasher, lowered the window on the driver's side, and signaled for the turn. There was no one around, at least as far as I could see. I figured that the flash would be absorbed in the glare of the sunlight off the snow anyway. I made the turn, he was still there, point, press, Flash, and I moved up the block towards the space. I didn't see him fall, just maneuvered into the space, locked the car, and returned to my apartment.
The confirm came in as I opened the outside door to my building.
We've had a lot of snow lately. To me it seems like we've had more snow this year then we've had in a while, and personally, I'm sick of it. There was a big storm predicted for a week ago last Saturday, and we got a dusting. Then last Wednesday another "huge" storm was predicted, and we got about 14 inches. Another storm this morning, but not really of any consequence.
Anyway, it's last Wednesday's storm that I'm noting here. The snowed all day Wednesday, so by Thursday morning everyone was out assessing the damage. The roads, I have to say, were incredibly well cleaned. The best I've seen, ever. Unfortunately, this means that those of us who park on the streets have the added bonus of having to dig out from being plowed in. This on top of the 14 inches.
I went out in the morning, like everyone else, and cleaned off the car, which took a while, as you can imagine. But I wasn't going anywhere, because of the plow job. I figured I'd wait, and see how I was feeling in the afternoon. By 3 o'clock, the car in front of me had pulled out, which would've been a good thing, but someone had jumped into the space and was too close to my front grill for me to do anything. I went out anyway to move off some of the plowed snow.
Suddenly, a woman came over. She worked for the dentist across the street, and it was her car in front of me. She offered to move it, and in about 20 minutes or so, I was free! Of course, now I had to find a place I could park now, without getting myself stuck.
I drove around in my small community, and found a place on Melbourne, a small 2 block street that connects Claire to Green. But I noticed something else as well. Everyone else had stopped working on freeing their cars except for an old man just off the corner of Green on Melbourne. I had to drive around the block anyway in order to get to the spot I'd picked out.
I made the 3 corners and approached Melbourne on Green. I took out the Flasher, lowered the window on the driver's side, and signaled for the turn. There was no one around, at least as far as I could see. I figured that the flash would be absorbed in the glare of the sunlight off the snow anyway. I made the turn, he was still there, point, press, Flash, and I moved up the block towards the space. I didn't see him fall, just maneuvered into the space, locked the car, and returned to my apartment.
The confirm came in as I opened the outside door to my building.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
10 Cents A Dance.....
I tried doing what Doyle had talked about but it really didn't work. He'd said that just because an Event is supposed to be random doesn't mean that it can't be planned. I took that to mean that I could pick someone - at random - and then identify a routine that they had, and wait for them at a particular point along their route.
I had noticed this old man who ran/jogged along Chain of Hills Road, going from St. George Avenue to Green Street, every morning at around 8:45 or 9:00. It was easy to park along the road, because though it was heavily traveled very few people actually stopped on it. Also, it has the advantage, as Coleridge said of being like Alph "5 miles meandering in a mazy motion". It was full of curves and there were plenty of blind spots where I couldn't be seen. I tried this for a few days, but gave up. Although I probably couldn't be seen, I was the only one parked there. I stood out l like a sore thumb to anyone passing by, and I didn't want to take the chance that I'd be remembered. However....
I believe I mentioned before that I make a library run every week or so, there being several branches in Woodbridge and the surrounding townships that sell books very cheaply. One of these is on Green Street, just to the left as you come out of Chain of Hills Road. I was there yesterday, at around 10:30 in the morning, as part of my routine. My daughter had mentioned a book she was interested in, and since I have the time I told her that I'd look for it. Anyway, by this time of the morning, I'd been to 4 branches already without any luck.
Going in, I noticed that an older woman had parked on the opposite side of the lot, and was making her way slowly towards the entrance. This is a small branch, with a very small parking lot so there wasn't that much distance between the sides. I went in and checked, but they didn't have anything I was looking for, or interested in. As I left, I noticed the older woman at the checkout counter.
Back in my car, I looked around. No one was in sight. It was actually pretty quiet, and this particular branch was sort of out-of-the-way. I started my car, rolled down the passenger window, and waited. It was cold, but it didn't take long.
The old woman came out and made her way to her car, carrying a couple of books. As she got there, I backed out, and took the Flasher from my back pocket. I pulled out in such a way as to block her car from being seen from inside the library - which was not a very likely situation since there were very few people there. I looked around, verifying that there was no one and no car around. I put the car in drive, leaning over. The woman had just opened her car, and was leaning over to put the books in. Point, press, Flash, and I drove out, putting the Flasher on the seat next to me as she slumped part-way into her car. I turned left onto Green, then right onto Chain of Hills. Before I'd turned onto St. George I got the confirmation. 2 left and 2 weeks to do them.
I tried doing what Doyle had talked about but it really didn't work. He'd said that just because an Event is supposed to be random doesn't mean that it can't be planned. I took that to mean that I could pick someone - at random - and then identify a routine that they had, and wait for them at a particular point along their route.
I had noticed this old man who ran/jogged along Chain of Hills Road, going from St. George Avenue to Green Street, every morning at around 8:45 or 9:00. It was easy to park along the road, because though it was heavily traveled very few people actually stopped on it. Also, it has the advantage, as Coleridge said of being like Alph "5 miles meandering in a mazy motion". It was full of curves and there were plenty of blind spots where I couldn't be seen. I tried this for a few days, but gave up. Although I probably couldn't be seen, I was the only one parked there. I stood out l like a sore thumb to anyone passing by, and I didn't want to take the chance that I'd be remembered. However....
I believe I mentioned before that I make a library run every week or so, there being several branches in Woodbridge and the surrounding townships that sell books very cheaply. One of these is on Green Street, just to the left as you come out of Chain of Hills Road. I was there yesterday, at around 10:30 in the morning, as part of my routine. My daughter had mentioned a book she was interested in, and since I have the time I told her that I'd look for it. Anyway, by this time of the morning, I'd been to 4 branches already without any luck.
Going in, I noticed that an older woman had parked on the opposite side of the lot, and was making her way slowly towards the entrance. This is a small branch, with a very small parking lot so there wasn't that much distance between the sides. I went in and checked, but they didn't have anything I was looking for, or interested in. As I left, I noticed the older woman at the checkout counter.
Back in my car, I looked around. No one was in sight. It was actually pretty quiet, and this particular branch was sort of out-of-the-way. I started my car, rolled down the passenger window, and waited. It was cold, but it didn't take long.
The old woman came out and made her way to her car, carrying a couple of books. As she got there, I backed out, and took the Flasher from my back pocket. I pulled out in such a way as to block her car from being seen from inside the library - which was not a very likely situation since there were very few people there. I looked around, verifying that there was no one and no car around. I put the car in drive, leaning over. The woman had just opened her car, and was leaning over to put the books in. Point, press, Flash, and I drove out, putting the Flasher on the seat next to me as she slumped part-way into her car. I turned left onto Green, then right onto Chain of Hills. Before I'd turned onto St. George I got the confirmation. 2 left and 2 weeks to do them.
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