#anywhere

"You're Adam... you've been stolen.. don't trust you..."

"Did.. I get that right?"

"Yes." Relief. He slumps against the table, or phone, or wall. "Yes. Be careful, tell everyone, right away. This can't wait, ok?"

"The lodge is in danger" Jack says "And this cant wait. don't worry. I won't anything happen to the lodge .you be careful.. kay? You're .. you're part of hte lodge too"

"Don't worry about me. It's.... it's fair and square. Just tell everyone you can about this, ok? Tell Piper and my family I love them."

Jack says "Don't worry about you? SCOFF! SCOFF I SAY. I am an Ember of the hearth... and.. well, just Scoff on your not worrying" Then "I will send the love"

And he hangs up

If Adam can make one more call......

"You can make another call but you'll have to get in line. that's the rules" The guy says "or we'd never free em up"

"No." He whispers. "It's ok. Maybe later."

Didi pulsl him away "come on.. the food looks like shit and tastes bland but it'll at least be better than nothing"

"Ok." Adam follows her numbly to eat.

"Hey, edid you get bad news on that phone? Miss a Funeral? You look like someone died and you couldn't be there to say good bye" DiDi says

"Yeah. Pretty much. Exactly. Nevermind." He swallows around a lump in his throat.

Adam gets food and takes it to a table, but just sits in front of it.

"Okay.." Didi. ..takes the spoon "We're both too old to do the choo choo..come on."

And she smiles, this ugly woman..and helps him get at least some down if he'll let her

He eats, but while he should be hungry, it's an effort to put food in and chew.

He's pretty sure he's missing teeth.

He pushes the food towards Didi and searches his pockets again.

He find no real id on this guy.

Cigarettes, matches, change, gum.... He looks the matches over; sometimes there's stuff on the cover?

The Matchbox does say 'Bahama Mama Boarding House'

"Hey....." Adam asks Didi "You know where this is?" He shows her.

"Oh that dive? I mean.. any roof is a home right? Yeah, it's in town.. dirt cheap... and you get what you pay for if you can pay for it" She sighs "Wish I could aford to stay at even THAT rat hole"

He looks for an address on the cover.

He finds it.

"Gotta go." He stands and starts for the door.

"I.. can I tell taht jerk you're still here?"

Adam stops and looks. "What? Yeah. Yeah, sure." A pause. "You want me to stay?"

"I can go with you if you want.. now that I got food to keep me warm in my belly"

"It's cold out, getting colder."

"Then you should stay here too"

"I can't.... I have to.... I can't."

"Okay Adam..come on I know the city better than you." She rises "if we lean against each other we'll keep each other warm"

And she moves to go with him

"Didi.... "

"Adam.. you know why this world sucks so bad? Cuz folks who give a shit don't work together.. so shut up and let me guide you. If it's about my smell, neither of us is a rose"

"It isn't that.... I.... Ok. Ok." And they go together.

And it takes time, but they find ...the shit hole that is the Bahama Mama Boarding House

Adam staggers up the porch to the door and knocks, or rings. Or both.

The door opens, a mean faced woman looks at him "You? You're behind on payments...I already threw your shit in the trash"

"You know me?"

"Yeah, victor.. I know you.. like I said, your shit is in the trash... you know how we work here. "

"Yeah.... yeah, I'm sorry about all that. I'll get you the money I owe. I've been sick. I don't remember what happened, can you tell me?"

"Fuck off... mister high and mighty. Never met an arrogant bum before, but you managed" Behind the woman hallways of peeled wall paper with palm tree designs are both garish and decayed. "Now you're wanting your life story? You rented... kept cutting the pages out of the paper for the Horroscope sections... NOT YOUR PAPER Jackass! and I don't know what else"

"Horroscopes.... right. Right. I... I'm sorry. Maybe I can pay for a year's paper subscription to make it up to you? What else happened?"

She says "Fuck off means go." She slams the door

Didi pulls him away "Come on... let's go check the dumpster... Victor huh? you don't seem like a vic to me"

"Me either....." Victor/Adam heads around to the dumpster and without much hesitation dives in.