The Past Sure Is Tense
When McCleod walked into the diner there were two Hedersons waiting for him in a booth. He slid in opposite them, put his briefcase down under the table, and looked across at the one on the right.
“What’s he doing here?”
The Hederson on the right looked up from the menu, then nodded to the other one. “Talk to him. I’ve already had this conversation.”
McCleod sighed, then slid across so he was opposite the Hederson on the left. “What’s he doing here?”
“I forgot one of the files so I had to come back with it.”
“You shouldn’t be together like this. Not out in the open. People will notice.”
“Relax. Anyone who sees us will just think we’re identical twins.”
McCleod was about to say something else when he saw the waitress walking over.
“What can I get you?”
The Hederson on the right looked up from the menu again.
“Two club sandwiches and two diet cokes, please.”
She turned to McCleod. “And for you?”
“I’m not staying”
As soon as she was gone McCLeod turned back to the Hederson on the left. “What if someone’s specifically looking for you?”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about that.”
McCleod saw the waitress coming back, this time with the drinks. As soon as she was gone he spoke. “What the hell are you talking about”
Both Hedersons grinned. The one on the left turned to the one on the right. “You tell him. It hasn’t happened to me yet.”
The Hederson on the left looked over at McCleod. “After I left- that is after he left- this rendezvous of ours, I went back to get the other file, and overheard an interesting conversation. Apparently Head Office hired someone from outside to find the leak, but they were dumb enough to pay him half upfront and as soon as he got it he left the country. Right now they’re too busy trying to cover themselves over the lost funds to even think about tracking us down.”
McCleod allowed himself a brief smile. “Nice to see the bureaucracy is as efficient as ever.” He shook his head, then quickly cast his eyes around the room. “You know, I’ve never understood what the point of this is. Why are these files so valuable anyway.”
The Hederson on the left’s face took on a more serious air. ” You never read Orwell? Whoever controls the past, controls the future.”
There was a brief silence, then McCleod stood up. “Well, I’m gonna make like a hockey player and get the puck out of here.” He looked at the Hederson on the left. “It was good to see you.” Then to the Hederson on the right he aded,” and it was good to see you again.” He reached under the table and picked up a briefcase that was identical to the one he had walked in with, then walked out into the street.
There were Christmas related signs in every storefront, smiling santas and cartoon reindeer everywhere. McCleod looked over at a supermarket poster advertising 1/3 off on own-brand champagne. Usually this stuff nauseated him, but today he didn’t mind. Where he was going it was still summer.
