eddie smith 1 took a sip of his glass of water. he tapped his phone.
i am ready if you are, he told eddie smith 2.
i said i was ready, eddie 2 replied genially.
just then the door of the emporium opened and two persons - a short woman and a tall broad shouldered man - entered. they both wore the trench coat and fedora which were the effective uniform of the security police.
they made straight for the table at which the two eddie smiths were sitting.
are either of you eddie smith? the woman asked, as she took her phone out of her trench coat pocket.
we both are, they replied together, eddie 1 with a straight face, eddie 2 with his trademark ingratiating grin.
very funny. are either or both of you the eddie smith who bothers people by asking them questions that are none of his business?
i strike up conversations with people, eddie 1 replied, and sometimes ask them questions. i believe that is my right as a citizen.
the two agents laughed.
and do you give them questionnaires to fill out? the man asked.
i might, after asking them if they would like to do so.
do you give them the impression that you ask them these questions in some official capacity? the man continued.
i never say i act in any official capacity, eddie 1 replied stoutly.
that is all very well, the woman said. but do you actually say that you are not acting in an official capacity?
um - i try to keep the conversations on a friendly basis.
the woman nodded. right. and do you happen to have one any of these questions on your person at this time, on your phone or otherwise?
eddie 1 hesitated. yes, i do.
great. come with us and we can take a look at them. i am agent dworkin, by the way, and this is agent khayyam.
and you, the man identified as agent khayyam addressed eddie 2, where do you fit into all this?
i was just going to answer some of this gentleman’s questions, which he politely asked me to do.
and you do not ask people questions yourself?
not in any systematic manner. i might ask someone if they knew the time, or the daily news or forecast.
agent khayyam glared at eddie 2. if you say so. we will let you go. for now.
agent khayyam took eddie 2’s picture.