Free Called to Order by Lydia Michaels

each other’s half-naked bodies. Then suddenly the picture changed to people he did not recognize. What had happened? Had he pressed a button on the device that activated the television? Where had Nick and Sharon gone? He examined the black device he held in his hand, removing the batteries then replacing them again, trying to figure out what he had done. Then suddenly Nick and Sharon were there again, now naked and sharing a small blanket as they kissed and caressed.
    This, more than anything, made Adam want to find his mate. He left the small black devise on the table with the batteries and picked up his bag. The sun had set enough. He pulled out his sun specs , placed them on his face, and left the room.

Chapter 7

    “I need two Buds, draft, and a bottle of Rock.”
    Kyle reached for two glasses and held them one at a time under the tap. “How’d your exam go today?”
    “Good. It was hard. There were a lot of essays, and I ran out of time on the last one. They wanted a task analysis of checking blood pressure, which I should have gotten full points on, but our professor called time.”
    “That sucks. Was it worth a lot?” Kyle placed the beers on her tray.
    “Nah, probably about four or five points. Other than missing that one, I think I did pretty well. I should get at least a B.”
    “Good.”
    Annalise smiled as she turned to deliver her order. It was Friday, so Jimbo’s was busier than normal. As she dropped off her order at one table, she was flagged to another. There would be no sitting for her until closing tonight. She hurried over to one of her regulars and playfully said, “What is it now?”
    “Sweetheart, will you please explain to my friend here what makes a Boilermaker. I got ten bucks saying there ain’t no vodka involved.”
    “The way we serve them here is just a shot of whiskey and a beer. I’ve seen guys down one after the other then I’ve seen others drop the shot into the beer and drink them together.”
    “Hah!” Bruce shouted as he made a grab for his companion’s ten.
    Annalise laughed at the exchange. “But since you didn’t know that, being as you’re a Boilermaker yourself and all, I think that ten should go to me.”
    Bruce’s companion snatched the bill back from Bruce and said, “I believe the lady is right. Here, sugar, you put this in your tip jar.” Bruce looked like he wanted to argue about the transaction but thought better of it. Being as Annalise was the only waitress Jimbo’s employed and he frequently drank there, it would be wise of him to let her have the tip.
    Over the next few hours, darts, pool, and music were played. The dinner rush came and went, sprinkled with conversations about the weekend and the ever-present recession affecting the middle class. By eleven o’clock Annalise was ready to call it quits, but she had another three hours to go. The bar usually closed after the last patron paid their bill, but on the weekends Jimbo expected the doors to remain open until two.
    The grill was now closed, so she only had to haul drinks back and forth from the bar. At the moment, everyone’s drinks appeared full. She dropped her tray at the bar and said, “I’m gonna run next door and grab a cappuccino. You want anything?”
    Kyle looked at the clock and said, “Yeah, grab me a power aide.”
    She untied her apron and placed it on her tray then turned to head out the door. The warm air was actually refreshing compared to the cool smoky space inside the bar. The humidity was thick, and she could smell rain in the slow breeze. The convenience store was only two doors down from Jimbo’s thankfully, because just as the bell above the door dinged and she stepped in, there was a loud crack of thunder, the skies opened up and rain began to pelt the hot pavement.

    * * * *

    Adam was frustrated. He felt as though he was walking in circles. Everything that was generally foreign to him now seemed irritatingly familiar. Cars all looked the same, buildings seemed