Sam smiles at the sun behind heavy sunglasses, waiting for the cross town bus.

Three hispanic men came up to him, and one called out, "Hey, man, you're Sam, right?"

Sam looked up, trying to recognize any of the men. The one that spoke looked familiar, but wasn't anyone he knew.

"Yeah, man, you are Sam," said they stranger. He turns to his companions. "This dude inked my brother, Jose. You should see this work. It was incredible."

Sam remembered, now. Jose spoke of a little brother, and he could see the family resemblence clearly.

"Oooh, you mean the phoenix?" asked the second man. "I saw that. It was tight, man."

"You got free time, man?" asked JOse's brother. "I got some money coming my way, and I want something like you did for my brother."

"Yeah, yeah, I got time," said Sam. "There is a tat studio around the corner here. I work out of there sometimes. Just make an appointment with them a fwe days in advance, and I'll be there. I'll do a smaller phoenix, since you are the younger brother, and I'll make it look to the left. That way, when you guys walk down the street, the the birds will be watching different directions."

"I like it, man, I like it. I'll do that." The man paused for a moment, looking around suspiciously, then said in a low voice, "Y'know, if you need something you can't find elsewhere, I might be able to hook you up, y'know what I mean?"

Sam gave a half smile of understanding. "Maybe I'll call on you. Leave your number when you make an appointment. There is a thing or two I might need."

I can put my own fake IDs together, but I need the right tools.

The man nodded, offered his knuckles for a manly bump. Sam met the knuckles with is own. Then, the three men wandered off towards the studio.

Sam smiles at the sun behind heavy sunglasses.

Things are finally falling into place.