Saving Grace Extras

The Gift?

Max unfortunately woke up on time that morning, but he laid in bed for an extra fifteen minutes contemplating whether or not it was worth it to get up. But he had to go to work, and he needed the money; college, not mention existing in general, was (is) expensive.

He reluctantly rolled out of bed, reminding himself as he brushed his teeth and washed his face and combed his hair that his job at the Washington Monument Bookstore wasn't that bad. It was adjacent to his chosen field in a way, and sometimes he got to answer customers' questions about the monument itself, and that was always fun.

He walked to the café where he got his breakfast, as per usual, but this time he got it to go and ate his pastry as he walked the rest of the way, his cup of coffee in his other hand, his bag on his shoulder. He was five minutes late, but that wasn't too bad.

Business was a bit slow all day anyway, and so he did the reading for one of his classes, waiting for customers to show up. No one told him when the elevator in the monument had a malfunction. Not until it was towards the end of his shift, and only then were his questions answered.

But his questions were formed closer to lunch.

He was sitting there, reading, oblivious to everything else when the door opened. He hardly noticed and so didn't glance up, just continued reading. Until, after a minute or so, whoever had come in walked up to the register.

Max lifted his head, and his eyes immediately widened, and his mouth opened slightly, but words were entirely lost to him. His mouth closed, then opened again, then repeated the process a few times before he managed, "Can-Can I, um... he-help you... Spider-Man?"

Spider-Man, the amazing, super cool, help-the-little-guy hero from Queens, was standing there, holding something out to him. "I really need to buy this," he said, his voice a bit rushed.

Max reached out and numbly took whatever it was Spider-Man was holding out to him. He barely realized what he'd done until the thing was in his hand. He looked at it for a moment. A postcard? He looked back up at Spider-Man. "O-Okay?"

"It's a gift," Spider-Man explained, "for my... Well, she's not my girlfriend. We're just sort of friends. But, uh, it'd be nice if she was, you know? I'm hoping she will be..." Max just nodded, not even realizing he was doing it, not moving to process any sort of transaction at all. Spider-Man was standing in front of him, wanting to buy a postcard for a girl he liked?

Max could hardly believe it was real; he grew up in the Midwest. Stuff like this — heroes and things — didn't really happen there all that often. Anything that did was far enough away from him that he didn't experience it first-hand.

Spider-Man looked at the top of the stand with the postcards on it, where the price was, then dug in his blue backpack for the money. "I have the money for it right here." He held out a few crumpled bills.

Max saw them and remembered what his job actually was, and so turned to the register and scanned the postcard, entered what he needed to, and took the money, all the while periodically looking at Spider-Man just standing there, waiting. He still couldn't believe it.

"Do you w-want the receipt... Spider-Man?" he asked, passing the postcard to him.

"No, I'm good," Spider-Man replied, turning to rush out, calling back a, "Thank you!" as he went.

Max sat and processed what had happened for many minutes, a few times wanting to check the security camera to be certain it was real. Spider-Man in D.C.? He sure was far from home...

Max looked at the postcard stand, which didn't usually get too much attention. He chuckled. Seemed as though Spider-Man himself wasn't so great with girls, either. Of all things to buy the girl you liked, why a postcard?

Max sighed, shaking his head a little. "I guess I'm rooting for you, buddy. Sounds like you're gonna need it."