Good Friday..........

It's late, and it's only been sticking around for about 1/2 a day at a time, but Spring has finally shown up. It's getting warmer day by day and just seeing the sun makes me feel better. I left my heavy coat home this morning, and wore a lighter jacket.

There was less traffic around, probably due to it's being Good Friday - the start of a lot of Spring Break weeks around the area. I drove over to the Hess Station on Route 9 for gas. I've been using them since the big storm hit back in October. The price is competitive and they don't charge more for using a debit card. I pulled right up to a pump, was served, and was on my way in less then 5 minutes. Feeling good.

From there, I took the side road that feeds into Woodbridge Center Drive, heading back to Main Street. That's where I saw this guy heading towards me. He'd probably parked in the lot and was using the back road to reach the nearby office building.

I looked around. The road isn't used often and we were the only ones on it. I was ready as we passed each other.

Point, press, Flash.

I turned onto Main Street, made a left onto St. George - making the light for a change - and headed to Dunkin' Donuts in Avenel for breakfast. There wasn't as many customers as usual. I ordered a bagel with cream cheese and a decaf coffee. By the time I'd paid and gotten my coffee, my bagel was ready. I got a table by the window, and enjoyed my breakfast and the warm sunlight. Still feeling good.

The libraries that I usually frequent are closed today, so I decided to ride up to the thrift store in South Plainfield. I took Chain of Hills road towards Edison, and came up behind this person.

It was still early, and this stretch of road is usually quiet. I slowed a bit matching her speed and checked my mirrors. No one else around. I sped up a bit, and as I passed...

Point, press, Flash.

I Turned onto Green Street, took the road that passed the Metro Park train station, and headed towards Route 27. I just missed making the light there, but I did see this woman walking on the opposite side of the street. I sat there, looking around, as she walked passed the corner and continued on her way. When the light turned green, I made the left, coming up behind her.

Route 27 usually has a lot of traffic, but the holy day worked to my advantage.

Point, press, Flash.

I continued on, turning right onto Grove Street, then left onto Oak Tree Road towards the thrift shop. I spent about 15 minutes in there and picked up a T-shirt of the Flying Karamazov Brothers for $1.00. Doing good, feeling happy.

I drove back through Metuchen and Edison, thinking to do some browsing in Barnes & Nobles in the Menlo Park Mall. About half-way there, I changed my mind. I was enjoying the warmth and the drive so I just stopped at Roosevelt Park and sat in the car for a while. It felt good.

The warm weather brought out parents and their little children so it was starting to get noisy. I didn't stay long. I headed for home, deciding to stop at Subways for a sandwich. As I turned onto Wood Avenue I saw this woman heading towards me.

I only had enough time for a cursory glance in the mirrors before she and I passed.

Point, press, Flash.

I stopped at ShopRite for some snacks and picked up some chocolate cake from their bakery that they had on sale. Two slice for two dollars. A good deal.

There were no other customers in Subways when I got there. I picked up a 12-inch Tuna on Italian with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers and mayo. Good service.

When I got home, a book I'd ordered from an online thrift store was in my mailbox. This was the second time that I'd used this company and their service was still good.

It was definitely a good Friday.

Two Sides............

Doyle called last night. I haven't heard from him since January, and we agreed to meet this morning. As I got ready to leave, I opened the windows in the bedroom slightly. I haven't heard from Gordon since December and it was worth a try.

When I got to the Burger King in the Woodbridge Center Mall, Doyle was already sitting at a table, two cups of coffee in front of him. He stood up. We shook hands.

"Denny, thanks for coming."
"Hey, Doyle, how's it going?"
"I'm good, but I'm not sure how it's going."

We sat. He pushed one of the coffee's towards me.

"So....why are you not sure how it's going?"
He drank from his cup. "Look...I'll be straight with you. It's this whole Sequester thing."
"Seriously?...How?"
"You have to understand...DHS has picked up a large chuck of the domestic funding from the Federal Government. Plus, we contract out a lot of other stuff that people don't really pay attention to."
"Like what?"
He just grinned, and shook his head.
"That's one of those TV questions where the answer is 'It's need to know, only', or 'If I told ya, I'd have to kill ya'. But that stuff doesn't really matter here. What I wanted to tell you was that this operation may wind up being cut back drastically."
I paused, to think about this.

"OK. I guess I can understand that. I guess that I knew it wouldn't really last, but what happens to everything? Have you had any trace of Gordon?...... Is Jones willing to give up his chase?"

Doyle looked up at the ceiling for a minute or two, drank some coffee, then focused on me.

"Den, I don't know what Mr. Jones intends to do. He's obsessed with Gordon, and I don't know why. It's kinda like Ahab and his whale. Either way....he's got the final say on whatever cuts we have to make."
"Well....that sorta sounds like we'll still be in business."
"Maybe. But even he has people watching him. If push comes to shove, he'll cut this rather then put himself in jeopardy."

I drank some coffee while I took this in. The coffee was terrible. I finally nodded.
"I understand, Doyle. Thanks for the heads up. But what about Gordon? Do you have anything new on him?"
"No. Nothing. There hasn't been any activity on his part for a couple of months, but like I told you last time, I don't think he's gone............I think he's planning something."
"Any idea what?" I'd finished my coffee, and I noticed that Doyle was just twirling his cup on the table.
Doyle grinned. "Not really. Even the shrinks aren't sure what he may or may not do. They only agree that he must be ...weaker...then when he started. They believe that he hasn't been able to get his meds, so he's probably in a bad way, but they can't come up with any proof."

He stood, and threw away his coffee cup.
"Anyway, Denny, I just wanted to let you know that there may be a change coming up. I'll try to keep something going, but I can't make any promises."

I stood up, too, and offered my hand. We shook.
"Whatever happens...thanks, Doyle. It's been real."
He smiled, and walked away. I threw my cup out, and ran some errands before heading home.
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It wasn't until I was opening my mailbox out in front of the building that I realized that my bedroom windows were closed.

Gordon was sitting on my couch when I walked in.

"Denny! How good to see you!" He jumped up and hugged me. There was a new feeling of energy to him. He even looked better then the last time I'd seen him.

I stepped back. "Well, Gordon....you look..great."
"I know. Like I told you the last time we met, I have someone helping me now. He's been able to get me the anti-reject meds. I'm feeling good now."

I felt like there was something wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I sat down in my chair and he seemed to collapse on the couch. He wasn't as healthy as he was pretending to be.

"So..I'm glad to see you. I was afraid that you might have........you know............"
"Died?" He laughed. "Hardly. But I have changed my plans."
"Oh?.... Really? .......How?"
He stood up again, a bit more slowly this time, and stared out the window.
"I was..haphazard..before. I was striking out without a real target, Denny. Do you understand that?"
I said I didn't. I could see him nod his head, but he didn't turn around.
"I was doing what you do, Denny, staging these random Events just to draw their attention. But then I got to thinking. Then I realized that what I was doing was what they expected me to do."

He turned around, and faced me. His eyes burned.

I cleared me throat. "So....um....what did you do then?"
He grinned - not like Doyle had - and it stretched the skin across his face in a very nasty way.
"I did nothing. That's right..nothing. I laid low. Frankly, I didn't have too many options, but then I met...........my friend......and things got easier. I began to focus."

He turned to the window again, and I tried to get a grip on what he was talking about.

"Look...I don't really understand what you're talking about, Gordon, but I think you should probably go back to your friend and...I don't know... think some more, or something."
I could see his head shake, again. I could imagine him grinning, too.

He turned around, faced me again, and the room seemed to get darker.
"I want you to understand something, Denny. I know what happened to me - what even happened to you. I know who is responsible."

He seemed to glow in the sudden darkness.
"Who, Gordon? Who's responsible?" I thought I didn't care but, somehow, he made it important to know.
His grin stretched across his face.
"Jones.....Jones is responsible....And I will make an example of him."

Before I could say or do anything, he ran towards the door., then turned...
"It was nice to see you again, Denny...I'll be in touch." He shut the door behind him.

First Doyle, then Gordon.

There are two sides to every coin.