Negotiations » Dr. A

defense team in the bastion ‘kill-zone’ between the doors).

“Good Morning!” I say with a smile. “What brings you to my neighborhood?”

Apparently — this was not what they were expecting to happen … or hear… because they simply stare at me for a minute or two.

After that brief pause, a woman walks towards me. “These are your trucks?” starts the lieutenant (Lt. Cressman) that is apparently in command of the current team.

“Not mine per-se, but yes, I do know who they belong to.”

“Why are you here?”

“We are camping. You know, a lot of campgrounds are closed due to Covid, so we decided to camp a bit closer than usual. Kind of like a ‘staycation’ ”

“You are ‘camping’. With more than a dozen containers?”

“OK… more like ‘glamping’: it is pretty luxurious in there. The golf course is a bit too easy though.”

“Do you have a permit to ‘glamp’ in this parking lot?”

“Possibly… that is above my pay grade.”

“I suspect you _do not_ have a permit. The workers from Kohl and Sports Basement think you shouldn’t be here”

“I often think that myself… but yet… here I am. The universe is a strange and beautiful thing”

- 95 -

“ ‘Asshole’ or ‘Idiot’ ” is probably running through her head about now, and she wanders back to her team and vehicle.

The Freightliner doors open, and I head back towards them.

“Don’t go anywhere” Lt. Cressman yells at me. I give a quick wave in the air and consider how fortunate I am that I can hear with my back turned and my gesture wasn’t perceived as profane or anything.

- 96 -