Chapter 2

I awakened the next morning with wine breath and a stale beer taste throughout my palate. My head was a little stuffy and I had a slight ringing noise in my right ear. Between the beer and spaghetti from last night, I'd somehow acquired a mild case of killer flatulence. I just knew I wasn't going to be particularly popular in my nest of 6 foot by 7 foot cubicles at work. I worked in customer service for a large international banking conglomerate. The customers I handled were ones who had large transactions in international currency and various types of multi-denominational EFT's. It wasn't much of a job, but when your major in college was in history, with a minor in education, well, suffice it to say that your employment prospects, outside of teaching, leave something to be desired.

After a difficult day at work, caused mostly by my need to keep constantly on the move, so that my co-workers couldn't triangulate on my noxious emissions, I was quite content to drive myself home and luxuriate in the absolute coolness of my living room. Yes, I'd forgotten to turn off my air conditioning that morning and my electric bill would probably run about $300 for the month. At least my home was 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. I'd just settled down at my couch with my first beer of the day when someone once again knocked on my door.