A PUPPET ON A STRING

Chapter 7

"All good?" Asks Tomo.Then shifting his eyes to the far corner as if to suggest Frank should look that way.

"Yeah... All good." Relied Frank casually looking in the inferred direction.

"Oh I see."Now seeing the man in the dark suit sitting at a corner booth. A red wine at hand and a newspaper in the other.

"How long?" Asked Frank quietly.

"About an hour... Same glass as when he got here... Big spender."

"Remind me to buy him another... One day." Franks jokes.

Frank examined Smith. There was something about Smith that made Frank uncomfortable. After yesterday's letter he wondered if he was IRS. Or was hejust being paranoid. Then recalled Tomo saying the man had asked after him.The man intrigued Frank. There was no point stirring up a hornet's nest. He had more important issues to address than some stranger in town.

"First one on the house." Saids Tomo placing a Bulleit bourbon in front of him.

"Thanks man... They all help." Replies Frank taking up the paper and scanning the pages for headlines.

"Marilyn working today?"

"Yeah... Glad someone is... Still waiting to hear back on a few applications but... No news is generally bad news." Responds Frank philosophically.

"You'll be fine Frank... You always land on your feet."

"You'd think so... But this time around has been worse... Generally it would only take about two months... Now it's coming up to eight months... I'm going to need something soon..." But before he could finish a voice spoke beside him.

"Perhaps I could assist." Interrupts Smith in a calm voice of authority.Having appeared from nowhere. Taking Tomo by surprise as well. Frank turns about to see Smith now standing beside him looking out of place. As though he had be more at home in an office, than a bar.

"Forgive my intrusion... But I could not help over hearing that you were looking for work..."Smith paused to gauge Frank's response, then continued.

"My name is Smith... John Smith."Frank looked back at Tomo who simply shrugged his shoulders and carried on polishing glasses, then turned his attention back to Smith.

"Keep talking." Frank instructs Smith hesitantly.

"Perhaps you would be so kind to join me in my office where we could talk privately." Asked Smith.

Indicating the far booth.Frank hesitates and his unsure of the Smith's motives. Their relationship until now had been distant. If not non-existent up until now. Frank's mind was in overdrive. His intuition told him not to stay put. But his ears were eager to hear what the man had to offer. It had to be something when compared to the nothing of the past seven months. All he had to do was listen he told himself.Frank slides off the saddle brown wooden stool. Leaving his drink and paper and paper on the bar. Smith looks over to Tomo and indicates another bourbon and wine were in order.

Tomo splashes an extra shot into Frank's short glass.Smith slides into the booth. His brief case nestled at the end of the red bench seat. Opening it, pulls out a file. A dossier. Frank's life summed up in a few pages. Frank takes his place opposite. An unusual job interview he thought, but one he might enjoy. Not often you got to drink at these things. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Frank made himself comfortable. Looking out the window of the bar, feeling the warmth of the filtering sun on his skin and putting him at ease. Maybe today would be the day after all. Wondering if his prayer had been heard.