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April 13 (clue) passed by quickly, the calendar record I was keeping read:'April 13 - McNormal's 7:00 PM'. I left the house at 6:30 PM. When I arrived at Stewart's Shopping Center, the bank clock read 6:43, the sun was just setting. (clue) The sky above was deep indigo, filtering down to a pale manilla color toward the West. The shopping center glowed with a peach color of late afternoon stillness. The air was crisp and moist as early Spring evenings sometimes are. The color of the shopping center was turning a cool orange haze as I entered McNormal's to find a seat. The aura reminded me of an old Clint Eastwood movie. I felt like the High Plains Drifter entering into an unknown room of strangers. I sat in a corner with a view of the parking lot and the dining area. I watched the exits and the Office door and waited for something to happen. The daydream created an entertaining vignette while I waited for Orientation.

At 6:55, my dream was interupted by a person who came up to my table and introduced himself as 'SAM'. I looked up at Sam and back at the view to let Sam know his intrusion was unwelcome. Sam asked me if I was there for Orientation. I said,"Yes." Sam asked for permission to sit at my table. He sat across from me without approval. I wondered how Sam knew I was there for Orientation. A minute passed, Sam offered me a cigarette, I waved my hand back and forth, left to right to signal 'No'. Sam asked,"Don't smoke, eh?" "Never did." Sam replied,"Oh." It was here that I realized Sam was 'feeling me out' but I didn't understand why. I looked back at the orange parking lot and Sam lit his cigarette.

Looking at the darkening parking lot I thought, several years ago, in a Management class, the Professor talked about mind control techniques used by McNormal's restaurants to gain Employee submission. The teacher didn't know very much about what McNormal's did to make their Employees submissive. "Their mind control program is very, 'hush, hush'." was the way he said it. The teacher stated McNormal's used similar tactics used by the military to control new recruits. The professor joked,"Nobody is sure if McNormal's is like the military, or if the military is like McNormal's. Ha, ha, ha." I looked back at Sam passing himself off as a new hire there for Orientation. I said half-aloud,"Oh, oh. Here we go." Sam asked,"Pardon, me?" I replied,"Ah, nothing."

Three signs warned me of Sam's dishonest intention right from the beginning. When Sam entered the dining area I noticed he came from the Office door where Barbera came from before our interview. Also, I was there for Orientation ten minutes early, it seemed strange Sam would be there before me and that he was admitted to the Office area. Just another coincidence? Doubtful. Another warning sign that gave Sam away was his pressed shirt. How many people go to Orientations at McNormal's Family Restaurants and wear professionally laundered, pressed shirts? Not many, probably none. I wondered what THE GAME was that Sam was creating. I wondered why he was trying to deceive me. I knew right there,"I better keep an eye on this guy."