She wanted to go out that night and be around people not really talk to anybody. Sometimes she felt like that was better than trying to impress anybody and think of the right human things to say. She just needed to figure out what to do about her problem. She thought if she could only not worry about it for a while she might come up with a solution. She looked at the menu and ordered the special which was a roast beef sandwich with mustard and cheese. She hoped that would provide some substance for decision making. This problem had too many angles to get her impressive brain around which was the problem. She hoped that the side salad would give her a clue. She didn’t want to cause even more problems with the wrong decision but life is not like that with perfect decisions, maybe perfect dinners. The roast beef tasted so good but that was not an answer. These problems would never be easy and people would have consequences beyond what most people could comprehend but this dinner reminded her why this work she did was important. She had to go back to her office and finally make the hard decision that would change Earth forever but if nothing was decided then everyone would die. There was no time to get extra help and not enough power in the world to change that fact. She decided to flip a coin because nothing else would be fair. She looked at the coin like it was a murder weapon because it would decide which side of the planet wasnt going to be protected from the blast that was coming from. 3 hours before she had to decide not enough time to save anyone without causing more death than was necessary. That was the choice who to save was down to her. She pulled out a coin and set heads as Northern and tails as Southern hemisphere. This coin flip would determine who lived and who died. She flipped the coin in the air and held her breath as it landed on the table and it spun around and did something rare but not impossible. It landed on its edge and she thought what is that supposed to mean. She decided to flip again. She flipped it another go and it spun on the table and did the same thing. What are the odds of that. She went for another flip and it landed on the edge. This time a bright light flashed before her eye and she thought she had a stroke. She thought that might be the best option on a day like this. Someone had appeared out of nowhere a man with a fedora. He tipped his hat and said hello. I have come here to help you and you can call me John. You must be the woman. No records exist of your name from this time. She said I try to keep a low profile. It’s better in my line of work. She looked at him in his eyes and said you must be human and from a different time. How can you tell that from looking at me. She said I can tell by your hat that it is an original design from the 1940s but the material is from the distant future. She said you can call me Susan if you want. I feel like this body looks like Susan. She said that is something normal to say. John, how can you help me unless you have an extra battery capable of powering a global shield for 12 hours. John said i did not bring that nor would have it fit in my hat but i have brought you something better math that makes the shield you have cover the entire earth. He pulled a sheet out of his hat with a very long complicated math formula written down in ink not typed out. Susan said why is it written out and not typed? John said that because it’s too dangerous to let anyone not approve to see it. I am not on the list but I am the only one who could be at the right time and place so they let me have it. She looked at it and said this is very advanced. I suspect it’s not even from your time. It will work but i have to input it into the system right now. She did her work quickly and double checked it. She said do you want something to drink and got some whisky in a green bottle and ginger ale with some tiny ice cubes. I think you just saved the world John so here is a drink to you. Klink went with her glasses and they both drank it down like they had been thirsty in a desert. Susan said I guess you have to go back now to wherever you came from. John said no this was a one way trip for me too much power to get back. I am supposed to settle down, make a few sports bets and retire to a quiet life and try to enjoy the crappy Wi-Fi at this time he said with a laugh. Susan said I think I have a job for you if that sounds too boring for you. John said but i don’t know any info that can help you because i was only briefed on this mission. Susan said i don’t care about that but i like your hat and maybe the brain underneath it. John blushed like a school boy and said I wasn’t really ready to retire. They went out to dinner that night and made a few sports bets so he could have a few dollars in his pocket but she paid for dinner. She liked having someone to talk to now. It could become something beautiful she thought or atleast a good time. She finally felt part of humanity that night.
Amelio's Palace of Stories 