The man that stood before me looked like he'd stepped out of Central Casting's Shifty Character Department. He might as well have been wearing a neon sign that said, "Hey, look at me! I'm a drug dealer!"

"Twenty bucks," he said. "Holiday special."

Drug dealers are a lot like hotel chains. There's one in every city and the prices are standard.

I slipped him the rolled-up twenty.

He handed me a baggie full of my blue friends.

I took two out, popped them in my mouth and washed them down with a swig from a pint of vodka that I kept in my jacket pocket.

"Gracias," I said. "Feliz Navidad to you too, dude."

"Yeah, man. Anytime you need anything, you know who to call."

He walked out of the alley and on to the street.

I went the other way.

*****
Greg and I sat at "our booth."

I kept my shades on and sipped my coffee as Greg talked on about some interracial party that he and Hugo were going to that night.

"It's called a black and white party."

"Then why is Hugo taking you? You aren't black."

"You know Hugo. Always doing the different thing."

The brain-eaters from Mars would starve to death on this guy.

I looked at my watch. "Fran said she'd meet us here, right?"

"Yeah."

"She told you she was bringing the keys?"

"Yes. That's the fifth time you asked me. I'll tell you again. Fran said that she might be a little late."

He looked me over. "Must have been some night."

"Do I look that bad?"

"Just a little hung over. Must have been wild."

"Yeah, it was pretty crazy,"

"Wish I could have been there."

"Sorry," I said, patting his hand.

I stood up.

"I gotta take a leak."

*****
I looked at myself in the mirror.

I took two more pills, another swig and a breath mint.

I opened the bathroom door and saw Fran sitting next to Greg.