Jeff Wysaski
“Is that a red Pertino hat you’re wearing?” the man with the scar said cryptically. “Yes,” Stuart replied, “yet despite its warmth, I continue to shiver this winter night.” The two men nodded knowingly, and the stranger took a seat on the bench and opened the briefcase. “Here, take it before I change my mind,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of it,” Stuart said. And with that, he took the man’s scarf and happily wrapped it around his neck. “Pay it forward,” the Good Samaritan requested as he got up and walked away.
He ducked behind some shrubbery and peered through his binoculars. “I’ve got you now,” he whispered as the woman from the museum entered the brownstone apartment and headed for the bedroom. She moved swiftly to the telephone, removed her trench coat and sat on the bed. “Ooh. Daddy likes,” the peeping Tom muttered as she unbuttoned her blouse.
“I lost him,” the Brit said as Stuart ran up from the opposite direction. “What? Impossible! Did you tell him to freeze?” Stuart replied. “Yeah, I said it a bunch of times,” Geoffrey answered. “And he just kept going?” “Yep,” Geoffrey huffed. “Well that’s weird,” Stuart said, scratching his head with confusion.
The footsteps grew closer. “They’re coming! Drop the pen and let’s get out of here!” Emma whispered urgently. “Relax love. This is no ordinary pen,” Stuart replied as he stuffed the documents back in the cabinet and moved to the open window. “See this button here?” he said. “One click and this black pen instantly morphs into our ticket out of here.” And in one smooth movement, Stuart clicked the button, scrawled “send help” in red ink on a slip of paper and dropped the note to the sidewalk below. “See? The red ink let’s them know it’s urgent,” he said calmly. “We’ll be out of here in no time.”
“Don’t bother,” Stuart said. “He’s a ghost. A specter. And as far as the world sees it, he doesn’t exist.” “What’s his name?” Emma replied with a twinge of intrigue. “I’m surprised you don’t know,” Stuart said as he lit another cigarette. “It’s printed right there on the box.” Emma flipped the box over. “Casper the Friendly Ghost? Oh Stuart, let’s rent it! I simply adore Christina Ricci!”
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