So far, this year has been mostly gray. Sure, we had a few warm days last week, but no sun to go with them. Today started out overcast but threatened rain and I was tempted to just stay in bed but I knew I couldn't.
Doyle called last night. We agreed to meet at the Dunkin' Donuts on St. George in Avenel at 10.
I hadn't heard from Doyle in weeks so I was anxious to see what he had to say. I was up at 7, and left my house about 7:30. I decided that one way to perk myself up would be to change something so I drove into Woodbridge Proper to get a haircut. I parked in a small public lot on a side street and walked towards my barber's, who opens at 8. That's when I saw this guy rooting around in his truck.
I came up behind him. Since it was so early, there was no one else around.
Point, press, Flash.
I got my haircut, and headed back to my car. As I pulled out of the lot, I noticed that the guy was still slumped inside his van. I drove slowly up through Avenel.
It started to rain.
Not so many people out in this weather.
I took my time. I still had over an hour before I had to meet Doyle. I drove up one street and down another. I stopped to pick up the paper. As I sat in the car afterwards, this guy passed me. I followed behind slowly.
He turned up one of the side streets and so did I. Despite the rain, I lowered my window. I picked up speed, looking around. We were the only one's out and about.
Point, press, Flash.
I continued up the hill, took the first right, and headed for Dunkin' Donuts. I was almost 45 minutes early, but I figured that I'd sit in the car and read the paper.
I parked in the back lot, and went inside at 5 minutes to 10. Doyle was already there, with 2 cups of coffee and a muffin. I knew one of the coffees was mine, so I bought an everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese and joined him.
"Hey, Denny, Happy New Year.. how you doin'?" He put out his hand and I shook it.
"Happy New Year to you, too. Good, Doyle, I'm good. How're you? I haven't heard from you in a while."
"Yeah, I've been down in Virginia, training. Mr. Jones instituted some mandatory training sessions for all agents so I've been down there taking some and giving others for about a month.A waste of time, if you ask me." He pushed across one of the coffees and ate some of his muffin.
"Really? How so?" I opened my coffee and had some of my bagel.
He chewed for a bit, drank some more coffee.
"We didn't cover anything new. With all that's going on, especially now with the gun control issue heating up, you'd think we'd be preparing some alternate safety measures but it was all just a rehash of the stuff we've been doing for years."
"You sound..I don't know...disgruntled, or something."
"Maybe...maybe a little. I've been at this a long time, and it's always been our ability to prepare for possibilities that's kept it interesting. This just felt like we're just spinning our wheels."
I couldn't think of a response, so I concentrated on my breakfast and waited for him to speak again.
After a minute or two, he seemed to shake it off, and laughed.
"Listen to me. Maybe Shakespeare had it right and this is the"..winter of our discontent". Anyway, I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing and to let you know that we haven't had any Gordon sightings for a while."
"Oh? Do you think he might be...you know..dead?"
He shook his head slowly.
"No..I don't. I think we could probably find him faster if he was. Anyway, I think he's the type to do something spectacular as his finale."
He finished his coffee and muffin and was cleaning up the crumbs.
"You know, Doyle, maybe you're in a rut. Maybe you should change something."
He looked at me. "Like what?"
"Get a haircut. I just did and..I don't know..but somehow I feel better. About myself. About things in general."
He stood up and looked at me.
"You mean like a change in attitude? Like Buffett sings about?"
I grinned at him. "It couldn't hurt."
He grinned back. We shook hands.
"Maybe I will, Denny. Take care now."
"You too, Doyle."
He left and I ate the rest of my breakfast.
