Chapter 6: Anne

                Anne had just returned from running an errand. And though it was not her intent she had ended up with a stalker. This was fine by her. After all she had never had a stalker before. That she knew of. Not that she felt at all threatened, after all her stalker was more like a puppy who followed you around and tried to memorize random facts about you, than a stalker any way. The only thing that bothered her was the fact that he walked behind her and threw off any sense of whether or not she was being tailed. Thus she arranged that he would walk next to her. To her surprise he had followed her all the way from the upper east end all the way to the southern half of the city. By the time they reach the western quarter, her stalker appeared quite tired. When she asked him what was wrong he informed her that he had not eaten since morning and was growing very hungry. Being hungry herself she decided that it was time for lunch. So they ordered a pizza.

 

                This is how Anne ordered pizza. Jake realizing he had no money had become morose, and somewhat irritated with himself. So, it was up to Anne to provide nourishment. So they walked to the nearest corporate pizza chain, and ordered 3 large specialty pizza, pulled out two plastic cups, and proceeded to fill them with soda from the fountain. She gave one to Jake, rolled a cigarette, and began to smoke quietly, by the soda fountain. 5 minutes later she was asked to leave. At which point they walked over to a nearby store and pretended to browse the merchandise. This was how Anne always ordered pizza. After a set period of time (varying on chain and time of day such as whether not it was during a rush) she would go behind the store and remove her pizza, (typically one to two and a half dependent on what she ordered) from the dumpster and be on her way. This is how they dined, for neither had any money, and both were hungry. The trick Anna said was finding a corporate chain that had a small kitchen, decent employees, and a non “spiked” dumpster.

 

                Not long after Anne and Jake had “acquired” their meal they passed through a city of tents and boxes, in which Anne left one of the boxes (they had been fortunate and had been able to procure two whole pizzas) in the center of the side walk. Not too far from this the crossed a bridge and upon reaching the other side sat on the railing and began to roll a cigarette. There she stayed, and there she smoked, neither of them speaking for the better part of an hour. Finally she looked at Jake.

 

                “It’s getting late.”

 

                “I know.” Jake said

               

                “You really hard up on this aren't you.”

               

                Jake didn't reply

 

                “Well I'm going home. You can follow me, if you want. But I don’t want you lurking outside or looking in windows, and you have to leave when I ask you too.”

 

                “OK” Jake said, trying not to show his new pride at being a stalker.

 

                At this point Anne jumped the railing, landing into the rail road tracks. Jake followed. She walked about two miles down, following the main line. Then suddenly split jumping over a rusty iron fence into a cemetery. They walked along an old dirt path until at last the came to an old road, all the buildings had been boarded up. She stopped at an old church, pulled a large hook from her back pack and reached under the boarded door, the door opened, and Anne walked inside.

 

“Hurry up it’s on a spring”

 

                Jake followed

                         

Jake: I like it, it’s nice

 

Anne: Yeah, we’re in the basement.

 

Jake: Oh, I like basements

 

Anne: Uh Huh.

 

Jake: You have a freezer!  That's Awesome. It is huge. Sarah won’t let me get one.

 

Anne: Uh, Yeah. Don't use that. Here use the cooler.

 

Jake: What are all these books?

 

Anne: free rolling paper.

 

Jake: You have books of rolling paper.

 

Anne: Sure, You want something to drink?

 

Jake: I’m Ok. I’m going to go back to stalking now.

 

Anne: Ok, You can stalk me from the couch over there. If you want something let me know.

 

Jake: OK

 

 

Ten minutes later Jake was asleep.

 

 

                When Jake awoke Anna was gone. Not sure where she went he decided to sit and contemplate his situation. He had been gone according to his watch two consecutive days of consciousness. And even though he was sure he hadn't been conscious for all of them he figured he had better write down the best he could what had transpired lest he forget his new duty as a stalker.

 

                Yet the new day was young and he heard a knock at the door. He was not sure what he should do, not have been in his new pastime for long, he decided the best course of action was to hide. There was another loud knock. He hurriedly crouched behind a planted tree in the corner. A voice came through. Apparently the voice's name was Jack. Suddenly out of a closet Anne came, her hair was wet. She ran up the stairs. Jake could hear the door being pushed Open

 

Anne: Hi

 

Man: You Ready

 

Anne: No, you are early.

 

Man: Ok

 

Anne: Come on in, Pie is in the cooler

 

Man: thank you

 

                Jake heard someone coming down the steps. Jake saw a man in what appeared to be a black trench coat walk to the cooler, open it and remove a piece of pie that had been carefully wrapped in tinfoil.

Jake stood completely still. The Man stood for a while, obviously enjoying his pie, and then suddenly spoke to Anna.

 

Man: Who is that?

 

Ann.: Oh. That is my stalker.

 

Man: Does he talk?

 

Ann: Not while he is stalking. He’s very serious about his job. He followed me here from the east end.

 

Man: Alright. I found that book you wanted. Just don't “use” it.

 

Anne: I wouldn't dream. You know the public library is the only government institution I respect.

 

Man: Ok I got to go. I am meeting Leo for coffee tomorrow. He wants to tell me about his new path.

 

Anne: Ok

 

                At this point Jake realized that this person may be carrying a phone. He decided he must ask quickly. He made several signs to Anne. Before she understood what he was saying.

 

Anne: Oh. He wants to know if he can use you phone.

 

Man: Okay

 

Anne: Oh one more thing. Can you borrow my stalker for today, I have an errand I need to run, and he is a little slow.

 

Man: alright.

 

                At this point Anne turned and informed Jake that while she appreciated his dedication she needed to be stalker free for a while and told him he could find her again at coffee with this man. So Jake decided to go with the man in the trench coat, lest he might meet Anne again and be able to resume his new profession,

 

    Half way through the cemetery the man stopped to smell a flower, than began again over the fence over r the rail, several blocks to a car. At which point Jake asked again about the phone. Here is the phone call that transpired.

 

Sarah: Hullo.       

 

Jake: Hi.

 

Sarah: hey where have you been? I got back yesterday, and you weren't here.

 

Jake: You were gone? Where did you go?

 

Sarah: Jake. I already told you all this a week ago.  I was just going to be out of town for a night or two; you were supposed to work on the project till I got back.

 

Jake: Oh, the project.

 

Sarah: Yes the project. Did you finish it?

 

Jake: Yes.

 

Sarah: Ok. Where is it?

 

Jake: I don't know.

 

Sarah: You lost it? Are you kidding me? Jake that is due tomorrow.

 

Jake: it’s not lost. I just don't remember where it is.

 

Sarah: Than it’s lost. You might be able to find it again, but it is lost.

 

Jake: no its not.

 

Sarah: Fine. Where are you?

 

Jake: I don't know.

 

Sarah: what?!

 

Jake: uh somewhere on the south end?

 

Sarah: how, did you get to the south end?

 

Jake: I walked

 

Sarah:  I figured that out Jake, what I mean is why you are in the south end. What possible purpose could you be now currently?

 

Jake: I met this girl, and I started stalking her, and...

 

Sarah: you’re stalking her?

 

Jake: it’s Ok I have her permission. Besides she is really nice, and you should see her freezer. She lives in a church, with a basement, and books...

 

Sarah: Look, I'm going to come and get you. Stay where you are.

 

Jake: But I was going to go to coffee, with this nice man...

 

Sarah: damn it Jake do you even know who these people are? They could be Jehovah Witnesses, Terrorist, or even Hippies. Don’t you remember what happened last time?

 

Jake: That could have happened to anybody, besides it had a smiley face on it, I thought it was candy. How was I supposed to know?

 

Sarah: No it couldn't have happened to anybody, and that is the point, you don't know, you never know, and I can’t afford to track you down every time you go off and....

 

Jake: they didn't offer me candy.

 

Sarah: That is beside the point. Stay where you are. I’ll be there down there in two hours. Have who you are with give me directions.

 

The man gave Sarah Directions 

               

                So after two hours Jake finally saw Sarah, and though she was relieved that the people Jake was now entertaining as friends were not in fact mobsters, hippies, or some strange cult that sat half naked in the airport chanting at people, hating women for contributions. She was not happy to learn, that Jake had no recollection of the project he was supposed to have been working on, where it was, or if he had in fact worked on it at all.                                                  Luckily Jake had worked on it and in fact had finished it the two week prior to Sarah’s departure. He had even sent it in the little brown envelope with a generic description. Of course Sarah did not know this, and only found this out after several frantic phone calls requesting extra time for the project. When confronted with this information Jake reminded Sarah that he told her it wasn't lost, to which Sarah responded by throwing her shoe at Jake. And that is the story of how Jake and Sarah joined the group.

Author's Note

Need help with punctuation. Grammar and style are intentional