Chapter 11: Lipton

Twenty year ago.

Meeks and Linda lounge on the couch in their apartment. Meeks smokes a cigarette. Linda rubs her belly and she’s contemplating something.

“Do you think we should move?”

“What's wrong with this place?”

“Now that you have your good job and all, I thought it might be nice to have a bigger place.”

“Good job? Who knows how long it'll last?”

Linda twirls her finger around her navel. “What about a baby?”

“What about it?”

“Don't you ever think about it?”

“Come on.”

“I'm just saying. You have a good job now. We can afford it.”

Meeks gets up and heads toward the kitchen. “I'm gonna make a sandwich.”

Linda watches him go, her face lined with disappointment.

##

Meeks naps in the boxcar. The train jolts to a stop and he opens his eyes. He winces from his wounds. Beal springs out from the corner.

“Is this Lipton?”