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Daniel

Bells over the door jingle as I step into the tattoo shop The big red flashing sign said Reeds’, and they appear to be open I brush snow from my hair and bloar outside It’s officially ht, which makes it December thirty-first in New York City Of course, it’s cold One day until New Year’s Day, and I have twenty-four hours to craht, the last second of 2013, I have to be done with my list I pull the piece of paper from my pocket and scan down it really quickly

1 Get a tattoo

2 Ride a horse-drawn carriage in the snow

3 See a Broadway play

4 Buy hot chestnuts from a street vendor

5 Eat a one-pound burger at Rocko’s

6 Drink hot chocolate on a bench in the park

7 Fix my watch

I look around the shop There’s a bunch of interesting art on the wall, and a little pixie of a woman approaches me She’s dressed in a retro style, and her hair is all curled up and pinned like she’s a sixtiessays Friday It fits her “What can I do for you?” she asks, and she blows out a slow breath She looks tired and I immediately wonder what happened to her to put that look in her eye But I don’t dare ask

“Did you leave Wednesday and Thursday at home?” I blurt out

Her right eyebrow arches and she looks down her nose at me I immediately wish I could take it back But then she starts to laugh And it’s not a little laugh It’s a great big belly laugh She shakes a finger at me and motions for me to follow her She sits across from me at a table and says, “I assume you’re here for a tattoo?”

I look around the shop “Actually, I thought this was a brothel Aet up, butwon’t let ainst the table and I grimace

“You okay?” she says quietly Her eyes don’t drop to lance atbefore they jerk their eyes back up to meet mine