I decided not to spend the night, so I drove home. When I arrived home the sun had set. Since it was the end of summer, that meant that it was at least 8PM. I ran all over the Internet trying to find something to do. I mean there were hundreds of people walking by those vendor's spaces. There had to be some way to make a few bucks from them. No matter how hard I tried to think nothing came to me. It was midnight when I gave up and went to bed.

I got a wild hair Sunday morning and went out to breakfast. I could afford it I was employed again. The restaurant I chose was one I usually would not be caught dead inside. It was one of those chrome and glass franchise monsters. I just happened to see a banner for 'all you can eat pancakes' on the building as I drove by. I had been on my way to a local hash house but decided what the heck. So I went into the modern take on a 1950s diner.

"Would you like our pancake special?" the young woman asked. At least she wasn't a gun chewing teenager.

"Sure with lots of truck stop coffee."

She laughed then asked, "What's that."

"Ok just plain old coffee nothing in it but coffee and water."

"I think I can do that." She disappeared leaving me with my own thoughts. Since the festival trip I had a thought running around in the back of my head. The thought wasn't filled out by that time, but it was the bones of an idea. The one thing for sure was that any plan I came up with would most likely require me to invest in equipment or merchandise. I told myself that I needed to do that while I was working for Seymore.

I was staring out the window, with thoughts running wildly through my feeble brain so I didn't notice Molly and another young woman sitting nearby. I had no idea she was in the place until she stood over me and spoke. "Mr Abba, Misty and I are having breakfast over there." She paused and pointed to the would be cop sitting alone in a booth. "Would you like to join us."

"I think not, you two kids don't need an old man to cramp your style. Beside I wouldn't have any idea what you were talking about." I smiled up at her.

"Baloney come on over and eat with us. I personally hate to eat alone."

"Okay, but I don't mind eating alone. I have done it for years. Trust me, doing it well just takes practice," I put the festival and the schemes away for the time being and went to entertain the children.

"You remember Misty?" Molly asked.

"I certainly do, how's rookie school?"

"A pain in the ass. I had to go through the gas house last week."

"Oh they still do that? I'm surprised. It really doesn't prepare you for much of anything. usually the gas is on the street. Once in a while you might gas a suspect, but usually it sets the house on fine and he comes running out."

"That's what I was telling her. Those damn gas grenades are dangerous as hell."

"Oh yes," I agreed.

I almost commented on it being early for them to be out, when I realized they had been together all night. All the indications had been there but I just didn't bother looking. My tenant was a lesbian. I didn't mind at all. Maybe they wouldn't have violent fights like men and women do. It was a nice thought but I could remember some disturbance calls from the home of a couple of long term lovers who were lesbians. One of the calls resulted in jail for one and the hospital for the other. I decided to stay out of it.



"So what did you do yesterday?" I noticed that your car was gone all day." Molly evidently was one of those people who speak their mind without thinking how it is going to sound.

"I went to the Apple festival at blowing falls."

"Did you bring back any apples?" Misty said with a sly grin.

"No, I was gathering information not apples."

"Why?" Molly asked.

"Well since I'm not really employed, I was looking for business opportunities. Ones where I could have some fun as well."

"And what did you find out?" Misty asked.

"I found out that I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself. The festival looked like fun but I have no idea how to profit from one."

"I sure can't help you I lose money at everything. I might be the only person to ever lose money on a paper route." Molly laughed at her own joke.

I caught a profile of Misty and realized how attractive she really was. Oh well she is way to young and way to gay I suppose. At least that was my thought at the time.

After breakfast the day slipped into the pattern of most of my days. I ran over the Internet learning new things for a while, then I watched old TV shows until I was tired enough to sleep.

After my walk Monday morning I drove to Williams. I found the offices of Seymore, Seymore. Seymore and Martin without any problem. It was right where the internet yellow pages said it would be.

I was shocked to find a small temporary sign in one of the parking spaces. It was a simple placard with my name on it. I parked the ten year old Ford beside a Mercedes. It was humbling.

"Hello," I said to the receptionist. "My name is John Abba."

"It certainly is," the receptionist said. "I am so happy to meet you Mr. Abba. We are so thankful for you."

"I'm not sure why, but I appreciate the warm greeting." I thought that was a warm greeting until Mary Seymore almost knocked me down with her hug. Her arm was in sling but I never would have known any other way that she wasn't a hundred percent.

"Sergeant Abba, I am so thrilled to have you here."

"Miss Seymore, I work for you this doesn't seem right."

"Work for me hell, you are here as my friend and my companion." She grinned. "I'm going to loan you to daddy now and then but he has to return you at the end of the day." I did not like the sound of that.

"So what do I do first?"

"First you come with me," an older woman said.

"Office manager," Mary informed me.

"Good," I said even though it might have been the wrong thing. I had been in the office five minutes and I already needed a shot of reality. I had a feeling that the office manager was the woman for the job.