The deal was sealed on line; I was to meet him on the corner of Post and Marion, me with the cash, him with the goods. I had to be there by 5 before the hour, turns out he had a bus to catch ("to pick up my kid"--I'm sure that was code for something but hesitated to ask lest my naivety jeopardize the transaction).
My timing was dependent on my own bus, but I thought I had reached the specified corner in time. I called him only to be told that he was heading for the bus stop "near the library." I climbed back on my bike for the 4 steep blocks up to the library. Out of breath and barely able to speak, I called him again: "Look for the orange bike helmet." He caught my eye but just as I reached him his bus arrived and off he ran.
No problem: as he entered the bus, I put my bike on the rack and climbed on behind him. The transaction completed, I exited at the next stop. The other passengers may have thought they were just looking at some dude with a beard buying a copy of Turbotax from an asian guy. But do they really know the contents of that disc? Can they be sure he's not North Korean? I think not.
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