To think that I have had bad days before, getting fired, fender benders, losing my wallet.   I used to call those things problems.  I used to meltdown.  I don't know, that day last spring made all those other things seem so little, so insignificant.

 It still so clear in my mind.  A beautiful spring Friday, birds chirping, children laughing, the whole nine.  I spent the entire morning as usual dilly dallying, pretending to fold pizza boxes, when I overheard my boss talking about leaving early.  I think he was going golfing or something.  I spread the news to Tony and Maria.  They were pumped.

As soon as the boss left, Tony grabbed a twelve of Budweiser, handed us each one, and then went into the back to make a phone call.  As we cracked our beers, me and Maria started chatting.  We talked about her boyfriend mostly.  He was locked up for selling drugs or something. Doing hard time, too.  Seven years, I think.  Maria was always talking about her boyfriend.  I think she liked having a boyfriend in jail.  It seemed like she was always bragging about it.  Not like it mattered though, she would sleep with anyone breathing the same air as her.

Tony's cousin, popped in and grabbed a pie.  He threw a little bag of something to Tony.  "Good thing you called lil' cuz,  I was about to leave for New York.  That ****'s a mixed between Cali Mist and Purple Princess,  Enjoy it responsibly y'all.  Thanks for the pie, man".  Tony laughed and shook his head as his cousin left.

Tony asked me if I wanted to smoke.  I usually didn't but having a couple 24 oz Budweisers made me feel corageous.  So me, Tony, and Maria went outside behind the shop and smoked a really fat joint.  As Tony was finishing the roach, the door bell rung. A customer was coming in.  

None of us wanted to go handle the customer because we were all giggling like idiots, high as kites.  So we decided to do rock, paper, scissors.  I lost, of course, so I made my way back into the shop.  

The man waiting at the counter was ragged and smelled something awful.  Our boss usually kicked people like this  right out.  He was usually pretty mean about it too.   

"How can I help you?"

"I'd like a bottle of water please?" 

"Uh, the water is over there.  Help yourself.  Actually, just take a bottle."

The man looked at me with bewildered eyes and said thank you.  He took the cap off, drank the entire bottle and left.

Just as he left my cell phone rang.  It was my girlfriend.  We said our hellos, but she sounded a little bit weird.  I swear it was a miracle, but I heard a 1-800-flowers commercial on the radio.  Then I remembered, today was our three-year anniversary.  So I said, "Before I forget, Happy anniversary baby.  Damn was she happy.  Aww sweetie!", she said before going on to say a couple things that made me want to leave work early. 

I talked to Tony and he said it was no big deal.  The college was closed for spring break and no one would be around anyway.  Still feeling stoned and slightly drunk, I walked out to my car and drove to my house. 

 I was cutting through the alley to my back door when I saw him.  It was the same ragged man from the pizza place.  He was sitting up, his back against the wall.  He was clutching a peice of paper and crying.  It was strange to see a bum cry.  I've seen some guys like this that were pretty down and out, but I've never seen one crying before.  

I went up and asked him if he was alright.  He looked at me and put his hand out as if he needed help standing up.  Reluctantly I stretched my hand out and helped him to his feet.  He looked me in the eye for a solid five seconds or so, enough time to freak me out.  He took the peice of paper and folded it up as many times as he possibly could.  "Take this", he said and walked around the corner, out of my sight.  I began feeling a little strange.  But I quickly blamed it on my nerves.  

I walked into my apartment.  My girl had just moved in with me this month.  She in a teddy, lying on my sofa. She got up and jumped on me, kissing my face all over.  "What's wrong hunny", she said, as her little fingers stole my hands.  "I don't know. I feel kinda dizzy".  "I'll get you some water baby", she said as she disapeared into the kitchen.  

I reached into my pocket for my cell phone and I felt that peice of paper.  I was about to throw it out, but I could see ink through the paper.  I unfolded it.  It was a note.

 Sorry to inform you, but if you are reading this then you already have the disease.  It is widly contagious, but easily cured.  It is spread through hand-on-hand contact, but it is also cured by hand on hand contact.  Once you touch someone it leaves your body and goes into theirs.  

Depending on your immune system you have three to five hours before it kills you. 

Sorry.

My girlfriend came out.  "Baby, I don't feel good either."