The Planck Factor - Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

Jessica

So much for lunch. I snatched a granola bar from Liz’s stash, headed out the door, and took a right toward the main road. I thought about the subway, but worried that the Metro security people might recognize me, despite my feeble attempts to disguise myself. Assuming I could remember where the nearest Metro stop was.

I felt ridiculous in the hat that I’d found in Liz’s closet, but it had a nice, wide brim that flopped over my face just enough to hide my features. I couldn’t help feeling it was just a touch too sophisticated for my jeans and T-shirt. At least it was a silk T-shirt. Still the hat seemed to cry out to be matched with something more like a little black dress or a long gown like Holly Golightly wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Hopefully, it wouldn’t have the opposite effect of making me even more conspicuous.

I was idly considering the possibility of taking up smoking through a long-handled cigarette holder and living the Bohemian life—just me and a cat holding parties every night in a New York apartment—when I reached the corner and noticed a couple of cabs roll by. Hmm. Should I take a cab or walk? The walk was several blocks. Now, in Boulder, several blocks is nothing. In D.C., even one block can seem close to a mile. It depends on which block you’re talking about. On the stretch of Constitution Avenue I was headed for, a block could stretch out for some distance.