Enjoying a Day Off

Anna walked around the city of Boston in the Northeastern area. There were many shops and restaurants with all kinds of food, and her favorite bakery. Mike's Pastries located on Hanover Street. Anna went in and took in all of the scents of the baking goodies. She loved just being in there and smelling everything. It made her day a little bit brighter.

Anna went up to the counter and ordered herself a hot chocolate with a coffee roll. She paid the cashier and took her order to a table and sat down. Munching slowly on her roll, she smiled to herself and looked at a newspaper that she stole from the next table over from her.

A tall, thin blonde man walks in and sits down at the table across from her.

"This is a formica table," he says. "Green is it's colour."
He looks at her.
"Coffee?"

Anna looks at him when she notices movement in the corner of her eye. She smiled at him. "Hot chocolate here." She said holding up her cup.

The man looks at her a moment.

"The coffee is much better in the diner. It isn't good in the convenience store. No. You wouldn't enjoy what they serve there. Not at all."

He studies the table a little.

"No. You would not like the coffee in the convenience store. Better avoid it."

"I'll be sure to remember that." She said with a small smile. "So what's your name" Anna asks and then takes a sip of her hot chocolate as she waits for his answer.

The man looks agitated, looks to his side as if he's worried that he's being watched.

"No.. I didn't talk about Judy, I didn't bring her up at ALL!" he says, his voice rising a bit. He looks back at her.

"Tell Gordon Cole that I have something for him." He reaches into his jacket, brings out a blue rose, slightly bruised on a couple of it's outer petals, but otherwise perfect and beautiful. He lays the rose down on the table in front of her.

"Though I suppose it's really for you. Maybe you'll find what I found."

Anna studied him a bit before he actually spoke. When he did, she was taken back by the manner in his voice but dismissed it when he spoke once more. She looks at the rose in a kind of flattered way but knew he meant some kind of business when Cole was spoken. "Maybe I will." She said now studying the rose.

He looks around, getting more and more panicked.

"I told you, I'm gonna leave Judy out of this!" he almost shouts, drawing a few nervous glances his way.

There's a high pitched whine, an almost warbling sound. A car backfires nearby and the lady in the seat closest to Anna shouts and holds her left arm.

"It's numb!" she cries. "I think I'm having a stroke!"