999-888-77xx

by nick nelson

eddie was walking down the steet, at night, as he often did. it started to rain. he wanted to get in out of the rain. the only place he could see that was open was this little coffee shop. eddie had never been in it but his buddies had told him it was a real stuck up candy ass place where if you asked for a cup of coffee they asked you if you wanted bolivian mountainside strawberry or some shit. eddie decided to go in anyway. the place was empty. a young guy with a pony tail was behind the counter. he was reading a book and looked up when eddie entered. i just want a cup of coffee, eddie said. sure, the young guy said. you want cream, sugar, they are right over there. eddie paid for the coffee and took it over to a little booth beside the window. the guy behind the counter went back to reading his book. when eddie settled into his seat he noticed a little spiral notebook , the kind you could stick in a shirt pocket, stuck in the seat cushion. he picked it up and opened it. it seemed to be blank except for one page. written on the one page in a scribbly handwriting was “ call 999-888-77… “ eddie couldn’t make the last two numbers. probably 77 bit they might have been 71 or 17 or 72 or any damn thing. it didn’t say call this number for a good time or call this number to make a million dollars. just call this number. eddie tossed the notebook back on the seat. he could have showed it to the guy at the counter and said somebody left this here, but maybe the guy would think he was trying something and besides it was always best to mind your own business. he finished his coffee, which was actually pretty good. the rain was still coming down pretty good outside and looked like it was not going to stop any time soon. eddie decided to just get wet and get it over with. he get up and left, without saying anything to the guy with the pony tail who was reading his book. when he got back to his room he remembered the number in the notebook. it was easy enough to remember. he had nothing better to do, so he decided to start calling the number, starting with the most likely two last digits… if anybody answered and starting giving him a load of shit, he knew how to give it right back. sitting on his bed, with the rain pattering on the window, he began dialing… 1-999-888-77……