Anticipating

Gregory heard his cell go off, then he remembered. A dozen times he forgot to cancel that 5:30am alarm. Maybe he just didn't want to. He hasn't worked for several months. That's starting to feel like a past life now, Gregory thought, not crazy happy with another day of nothing to do besides check the mail. 

Outside, he pulled the requisite pound of daily crap out of his box, and gazed up the street to the corner. Gregory saw a trench-coated man sitting on the old bus bench. This was odd to Gregory because, at 10am, it was already up to 80 degrees, and, the old bus line ended two years ago. Curious, Gregory walked over to the corner. Closer, he was surprised by long, black hair, a woman, staring straight ahead.

"Excuse me," Gregory began. "Yes. I know. Cancelled.", she replied, calmly anticipating his question. Long, uneasy silence. He started again, "You're not.." "Not from around here, no." Again, she guessed right and answered quickly. Gregory was intrigued and confused. "Then, why.." He's interrupted again. "It's okay, really.", the woman said, still calm. She then turned, facing him squarely. "No important mail in your hand. You will return to your job in twenty-two days." 

Her last comment startled Gregory into reflexively turning around and walking quickly back to his gate, trying to make sense of it all. Thoroughly freaked-out by now, he didn't even see or hear the empty bus pull up, and then depart.