Doyle called yesterday.
Well, actually, he sent a text to the drop phone. He said that I should do whatever I would normally do today and that he would catch up with me somewhere along the way. He added that he had a narrow window, so if he didn't see me by noon we'd have to wait for some other time. This wasn't how we did things usually, but I had no way to argue with him about it.
I was up early. I left my house about 8, figuring that I had about 4 hours to fill. Somewhere along the line, Doyle would contact me.
I drove up into Avenel and stopped at a Krauser's for the paper. As I was getting out of my car, a bird swooped down past my windshield. I walked around the front and saw it pecking at something. I tried to get a better look, but it grabbed what it had and flew away.
I knew what it was.
A cicada.
They've been buzzing, humming, and flying around throughout the area for weeks now. I've had one land on my leg while I was getting gas at a Hess station on St. George Avenue, and several that have hit my windshield while driving around Avenel . Think about it. 17 years underground and many of them get eaten by birds or get smashed into windshields.
I guess that's just the nature of things.
I stopped at a Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast. I had a toasted Everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese and a medium-size iced tea, black. I always carry a paperback book with me, so I sat at a corner table - reading and enjoying my meal. So far, nothing from Doyle.
I got back into my car and took the right turn towards Edison. Along the way, I saw this guy.
He was making a lot of noise with that leaf-blower and that really annoys me. I lowered my windows.
Point, press, Flash.
I drove on, heading for Metuchen and the library there. I took the back roads. It didn't take long before I saw this guy.
He was on my side but the area was too open. I drove on, changing my mind about the library for now.
I headed towards South Plainfield along New Dover Road. There's a thrift store there that I like to browse through.
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It was now about 10:15, and I'd left the thrift store without buying anything. I figured that I still had about 2 hours before I could go home so now I drove to the library in Metuchen.
On the way, I saw this guy walking towards me. We were alone but, when I lowered the passenger side window, I could hear the cicadas humming in the trees.
I closed the window and drove on.
Way too much nature for me.
I decided to drive to the Menlo Park Mall.
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Every once in a while, I like to go to Menlo Park and sit in one of their relaxation areas - a set of chairs and sofas strategically set up around the two floors they occupy. I like the one facing the exit towards Barnes & Nobles. I was early enough to get a spot there, and sat down with the paper and a bottle of water that I had brought from my house.
I was done with the paper and was half-way through the crossword puzzle when I heard..
"23 across is "stretch'".
I knew that and - annoyed - I looked up at Doyle.
"I knew that."
"I figured." He moved around the back of the sofa and sat next to me. He held out his hand. I shook it.
"So... How're you doing, Denny?"
He was dressed in casual clothes. Well, casual for him. Deck shoes, black socks, pressed jeans, and a short-sleeved, button down shirt. I found myself grinning.
"I'm good, Doyle. What's new with you?"
"Same old, same old." He stretched his legs out in front of him, twisted his neck and shoulders back and forth, and settled back with a sigh. "Ahh, that felt good.....So.... I've been away, obviously, and I thought we could catch up, you know?"
"Yeah...OK...so where've you been?"
He shook his head, grinning.
"Boston, of course. At least at first." He paused for a while. Looked down at his shoes.
"There was a lot of bad stuff up there, Denny. Real bad. Gonna take a long time to work through." He shrugged, then - physically - shook it off. He turned to me and grinned again.
"So...... as I understand things down here, nothing much has been happening, right?"
I thought about it a bit, but couldn't argue with him.
"That's pretty much it. Same old, same old for me too."
We were quiet for a while. Each of us thinking about things.
I broke the ice. "OK. ..... So.. I'm at a loss here. What happens now? Are we still doing what we do? Are you still having me tracked? And what's happening with Gordon?"
Doyle sat there for a bit, thinking it through, before responding. That was his nature.
"Short term.. yes. We're still tracking your implant. Long term... I don't know. I thought things were settling down, but now we're dealing with this NSA leaker and I'm not sure what will happen."
"What has that have to do with us?"
He shook his head again. "It's all tied together, Denny. You push the right button.. you topple the right domino.. it all comes apart. That's how it is. Just the nature of the beast."
His phone chimed. He opened it, listened for a bit, nodded, closed it, and turned to me.
"Gotta go, Denny. Stuff happens. Good to see you, though."
He stood and stuck out his hand.
I shook it.
It seemed like the natural thing to do.
