The Death Blog — Malcolm Fowler / The Fear

This is the third installment in the Death Blog series by EinsteinShrugged

The Fear

Malcolm Fowler, Aneurysm, 2.34pm

Einstein Brothers is wall to wall packed. I’m waiting in line to pay for my toasted Everything Bagel with cream cheese and a bottle of orange juice. The guy in front of me reeks of garlic but is holding a cinnamon bagel and a smoothie.

When I finally get back outside the wind and noise from the city feels like a cool bath. I walk down to the library and sit on the front steps, eating my breakfast and watching the city shake off the hangovers from the night before. I’m smack dab in the middle of a double shift so my senses are on fire and I can tell who spent the night in the company of a tequila bottle (brown suit, blue tie) and who didn’t get a wink of sleep thanks to a marathon viewing of first season Star Trek episodes (green skirt, comfortable shoes)

I’m sleep deprived and a bit loopy from 7 back to back intakes within the past 5 hours but the heady buzz it leaves me is almost worth it. I check my watch and realize I should be on my way to the West Side by now. The bus stop is only a block away so I don’t rush. Not today.