Colton grabbed his tattered green rain jacket from the floor and slung it over his shoulders. The zipper went off track and ripped straight up to his neck leaving him in what looked like nightclub maternity wear. Sighing resignedly, he headed down the hallway, past the copier, water cooler, and out the door into the drizzling day. He was seized by the skeleton trees against an orange-violet lit sky and unseasonably balmy weather and daydreamed briefly of a twilight winter walk across a misty whitesand beach. Ankle submersion and frantic foot traffic, however, focused the reality at hand. He unlocked his bike and pedaled toward lunch.

Headlights and threats of hydroplane stalled much of our hero’s daydreaming. He pedaled fast, but not exceedingly so, to the nearest Pan-Asian takeout joint: Noodlicious. Inside, he spied not a seat in the house and headed next door. O’Shaney’s: always good for a quick bite. Alas, the credit machine spoke in all caps, “OUT OF ORDER. CASH ONLY TODAY.”

Full of existential angst, Colton cobbled across the parking lot — head down, jacket flapping in the sideways rain — to TALL ORDERS. “A little reading could do me good,” he mumbled under his breath. “Besides, I have a gift card.”

Oh, the sweet selection. He drifted from aisle to aisle losing track of the time, ambling in indecision.

“I’ll take this thanks.” Grinning clumsily, he extended an old Sci-Fi novel to the cashier along with his gift card.

“Do you have rewards car with us, sir?”

“I don’ think I have…”

“What’s your email address?”

“cjm…”

“Here you go, sir.” She handed him a collage of plastic pararllelogrammic proportions and returned his card. “This gift card is for Hines and Strogle.” Her tired jaded eyes contained a modicum of pity.

“I…um…” He walked quickly out of the store leaving his new prized possession on the counter. A van sped through the crosswalk and alongside came a mountain of mudwater, leaving him shivering in awe. He sloshed toward his bike and mounted the water-logged seat. It was Taco Barato time.

Inside, he avoided the dreaded lure of the combo and found solace in the basics: taco, burrito, small drink, plentiful refills. He sat centrally and efficiently savored his meal, basking in the neon glow of the menu…smiling.

An American Hour, he reflected.