after moe had wandered aimlessly down the street for a while, the wind picked up a bit and he decided to turn around.
he passed juan the con’s bodega on the way back, and considered going inside and buying a package of beef jerky, but remembered that he still had a couple of dark chocolate bars in his room, and decided to just continue on home and eat those instead.
when he got back to his room he ate one of the dark chocolate bars and then spent the rest of the night just doing nothing much, but asking himself, as he often did, what was going on.
he fell asleep just before dawn.
moe had a dream. unlike his life, which tended to be unfocussed, moe’s dreams were always classically structured.
in moe’s dream, he was not a bum on welfare who hung around the pool hall, but mr morley, a suave salesperson at the grand department store in the great metropolis.
he was in charge of men’s socks and ties, and took his duties seriously and carried them out conscientiously.
mr morley had an eye for a pretty face and a shapely ankle, and a fair amount of these passed through men’s socks and ties, purchasing items for their sweethearts and husbands.
in the dream, moe/mr morley was surveying his kingdom from behind his little podium, when a modestly dressed but bright eyed young woman approached him. she did not look more than sixteen or seventeen years old.
can you hep me, sir? the maiden asked.
it is what i am here for, miss.
the request i am making may be an unusual one for you, the young woman began hesitantly.
mr morley smiled. just tell me what it is, and i will be the judge of that.
i was here in the store yesterday and i lost my algebra textbook. i was wondering if you had happened to come across it.
an algebra textbook? mr morley gave the young woman an even friendlier and more debonair smile than before. i am sure i would have noticed such a thing if it happened to be on the floor. and in any case, have you applied to our excellently efficient lost and found department, located on the fourth floor of the south wing?
indeed i did, sir, but they were unable to assist me. do you mind if i look around in this department?
suit yourself, miss, so long as you do not knock any of the displays over. and perhaps while you look you might find find a nice tie or pair of socks that you could purchase for your father or brother or other man in your life.
oh thank you, sir.
and with that the maid left mr morley and disappeared behind a display of brightly colored cravats.
suddenly a terrible presentiment assailed moe/mr morley.
he hastily reached into his pocket! but his wallet was safely there, and he quickly opened it and saw that the two dollar bill he had placed there to purchase his lunch in the emporium cafeteria was also safe.
but when he put the wallet back in his pocket, he felt it brush against something else.
what could it be?
it was a plain white envelope. and inside the envelope was a neatly folded sheet of white psper with something scribbled on it in no careful manner -
moe woke up.
how long had he been asleep?
outside it was day, but a gray day, and rain pattered against the window…
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