Chapter 5

When Franklin awoke he was slightly disoriented for a moment, until the scent of Syd's hair in his face made him grin with awareness. Ah yes, Wow! He felt like dancing a victory dance, or screaming the victory cry of the bull ape. He whispered gently in Syd's ear, a breathy "Ka-go-da!" She opened her eyes and smiled up at him, asking him "You surrender? and it is so cool that you know that. I must have read all of his books three times as a kid, at least."

"I'll miss you, this weekend. Let's get some food packed so you won't be eating from vending machines for three days. That's what you usually do, isn't it?" Franklin asked while tickling Syd briefly to keep her from getting too comfortable in his arms. Syd yawned prettily and stretched alluringly, with a wicked knowing look, as if she understood very well to a nuance just what affect her actions had. She jumped up from Franklin's grasp before he could grab her again, and fled into the bathroom to freshen up.

As he waited for her to return, Franklin reflected on the past day or so, and felt a feeling of contentment and wholeness. It wasn't her looks that attracted him, but more and more as he got to know her, her personality. Franklin had already had a few beautiful girlfriends in his youth, when he was affecting reality without knowing it. Actually getting the good-looking girl was a disappointment when he realized they had nothing to offer, not conversation or affinity, sympathy, or compatibility. Arm candy was just that, he would rather have a partner and conversationalist, than just someone who was attractive to look at. How lucky he was to find both, in Syd!

Franklin made sandwiches efficiently as Syd rummaged through her parents kitchen in her childhood home, finding fruit, jars of olives and pickles, and other easy to eat foods which required no preparation. They cleaned up the mess, and put their loot in a knapsack Syd scrounged from the bottom of the hall closet. Going out the door, Franklin opened the cab door for Syd, then was pulled down for a kiss as he tried to go around to get in. Finally released, he went around to the driver's door a little unsteadily, and started the engine.

Not much was said between them, unless in the language of looks, the expression of love as said by eyes, as they made their way through the Friday late afternoon traffic. Pulling up to the Financial Building right at 4:52 PM, Franklin opened the door for Syd, and gave her an unprofessional hug and kiss, if anyone had been watching. Syd was dressed for comfort, in sweat pants and tennis shoes, long practice of long weekends informing her that comfort was more important than style. She hefted her backpack and her brief-case tool-kit, containing all she needed to tease out an accurate snap-shot of the state of her client's finances, for later dissection and analysis.

With a last hand-clasp and loving look that promised the future, she glided up the sidewalk, entering the building to wait in the lobby until the last stragglers were locked out by the security guard. Being Friday, she didn't think she would have very long to wait at all.

Franklin waited until Syd entered the building, and then remembered he had forgotten to get paid for the hourly rate full day with Syd. Just then, Syd showed up at his window, proffering her credit card, in exchange for another kiss. She received it, and her card back, and wordlessly returned to the building lobby.

This time, once she entered, Franklin pulled out into traffic, and picked up his mike, right at five-o'clock. "Dispatch, Enterprise going off hourly, going off duty, be back in the yard after dinner." The friendly voice of Dispatch came back with "Roger BuddaBoy, off duty, planned return to yard in an hour or so. Dispatch out."

Franklin headed off to try one of the other two restaurant his V.I.P. cards gave him access to, there was no limitation on what meal or how many times a day he could eat. Basically, an all he could eat plan. He had a standard steak and potatoes, the side vegetable was mixed carrots and peas. It was nothing special, but not bad. The dinner rolls were soft and warm, and the requested butter pats melted nicely. Finishing up, Franklin left a %28 tip on the menu cost of the meal, and found his free meal card worked at the cash register with no difficulties.

The Yard was empty of cabbies, the day shift already on their way home, and the night shift was already out on route. Franklin turned in his receipts at the office, and told 'Boss' who was always there before the day shift, and well into the night shift, that he was available for on-call overtime this weekend if needed. Boss nodded, and said "If I need you I know your number. Now get out of here and let me get some work done, will ya?"

Franklin winked at the girl at the dispatch board, who worked from noon to midnight, grabbing her breaks at the board as she could. Her counterpoint was also hired for her friendly personality, a marked counterpoint to 'Boss's' gruff manner. Thus each Dispatch worked with all the cabbies, half of each of their shift. Both were just known as 'Dispatch', as Boss was known as 'Boss', and both were off limits to the cabbies beyond flirtation, by common sense and unspoken tradition. It wasn't smart to mess with your Dispatch!

Dispatch grinned back at Franklin, and rolled her eyes at Boss. Franklin waved at both of them, walking out the office door and over to his bike. He put on his helmet and lights, clipping his pant leg to his leg on the chain side, and swung his leg over the seat. Treading on the pedal, he rode out the gate and headed home to his apartment, his existence suddenly awakened, since the last time he was pedaling his bike.

His heart singing, he barely was aware of his ride home. Full of energy, he found himself giving his quarters a thorough cleaning, while humming happily to himself. He made himself a bowl of popcorn and sat down to watch prime time television. Well, he hadn't been getting any tips the past few days, perhaps he should see if he could get some money this weekend, while Syd was busy. He wondered what tomorrow would bring, and felt tired despite his nap. Turning off the television, he went to brush his teeth before bed.