Let's ask fate

twelve

It's like Finding Nemo

Jennie wearing the purple shirt she just purchased, she was walking with Lisa and with the old man employee, in a sorting facility but more like a huge warehouse in Queens. It is where the employee said they could retrieved the name of the owner of the credit card account. Inside of the warehouse, there tons and tons of boxes that are stacked and arranged neatly into a metal shelves. Lisa scanned the boxes with the old man tailing behind her back. She then looked for the specific date the gloves were bought, and that was  ten years ago. She then go over the pink paper copies one by one, scanning and reading each carefully and thoroughly, making sure she doesn't missed a thing.

-Excuse me?- said Lisa, stepping few steps away from the old man

-Why so tense?- said the old man

-Because you're freaking me out, all right? It would be much better and much faster if you could just help us look too, and not just stand behind my back. - Lisa said annoyed

-Oh, excuse me, it's not my job to do that, I've already done my part, I took you two here, which is not what we talked about. It should be just one person. I am already risking my work here. So, If you don't mind me asking? what is it that you do?- the old man was just curious if Lisa was somehow the police friend Jennie was telling him about

-Well, my sales clerk friend, I happen to write for a little publication. Maybe you've heard of it. Its called the uh? New York Times, maybe?

-Oh?- Lisa nods, with a smug on her face. Then her phone rings, she took it out, to see who was calling, she took a deep breath, and exhale forcefully through her nose after seeing the caller id. She puts it down, and just let it ring. The old man on the other hand, took Lisa's phone and answered the call for her.

-Hello.... who?- answered the old man. Lisa panics, she tries to take her phone away from the old man, who's not making it easy for her. They battle for  the phone

-Lisa? and who may I say is calling?

-uh-huh? hang on. Your editor,- the old man gave Lisa her phone back, Lisa yanked the phone from the old man's hand. She then put the phone close in her ears 

-Hi, no. Didn't get.. Didn't get a chance to write that one. uh... Didn't write that one either..- Lisa bumps her head softly unto one of the boxes

-Uh, with all due respect, sir, they'll all still be dead tomorrow.- Lisa said, her voice with a hint of annoyance

-Okay, thank you. bye.- Lisa put her phone down with force into the top of the box, that's in front of her. She let again a forceful exhale through her nose

-You write for the obituaries.- said the old man, smiling triumphantly, as Lisa was not the police she expect her to be. And the old man mocks Lisa's actual job

-Absolutely. yeah

-You must be very proud

-Uh-huh. So proud, because I'm the one with the last word.

-Not tonight

-Yes I am

-I don't think so

-Absolutely

-Fat chance

-Still talking- the old man now is getting on Lisa's nerves. Unlike Jennie, Lisa here would definitely argue with the old man, or regardless with the age. Lisa would even argue with a five year old kid. And this old man would be never be an exemption. She swears, one last chance. If the old man provoked her more, the old man would definitely have a taste of Lisa's fist. A moment later, while the two still argues, they heard Jennie yelled from the center of the warehouse. Lisa threw whatever she was holding, most of them were those pink paper receipts. Lisa run as fast as she could towards where Jennie is, behind her the old man followed

-I don't know. I don't know. My eyes are killing me- Jennie was slumped at the top of the table, there where boxes on top of another boxes beside her. Papers where sprawled all over the table and on the floor. Jennie is now holding one pink paper, against the light, as she squints her eyes, to see the writing on the paper. too small for her to see properly. Lisa, rushed and stood beside Jennie. the old man just followed

-Please, please. Tell me these numbers match?- Lisa snatch the paper from Jennie's hands, but as soon as the old man reached the table, he took the paper away from Lisa's hands

-Here I'll tell you- said the old man

Lisa again took the paper away from the hands of the old man, the old man snatched it away again from Lisa. Lastly Jennie took it, as she yelled at the two

-Don't do that! Stop it. what are you two? kids?

-Let me see- said the old man

-Ahhhh. Ahhhh- the old man insisted and he took the paper back again, now Jennie lets him.

-Is it 0292?- Jennie asked the old man carefully

- 0292! Congratulations!!! - said the old man. he rejoiced

-You got it?- Lisa asked, as she tiptoed to see better, she hovered over Jennie's shoulder and the old man

-You found her! Too bad though. The last name's completely smudged out.- the old man points the pink paper, that was on Jennie's hands

Jennie curled her hands into a fist, she can feel that her muscles are shaking. She was so frustrated and irritated. Lisa brushed her hair, with her hands, she looked up and started pacing

-Well, it was her fault. It was her thumb.- said the old man pointing at Lisa

-When she grabbed it, her thumb went right across the name completely.- Lisa's nose was flaring, that was her last straw, she was about to punch the old man, as she approached him, with anger in her eyes. the old man flinched, scared at the sight of Lisa, he backed off few steps from them, slightly away from the table

-I'm kidding. It was smudged in my hand,- the old man tried to smile, and made appeased to the two, who is now boiling with anger towards him.

-Nini, I swear to God, one more word, that would come out of his filthy mouth, I would totally knocked his teeth, one by one- Said Lisa, as she pops the joints of her knuckles.

-Well, it was bound to be smudged anyway. That's carbon paper for you. I guess that's why America rejected it.

Out of frustration Jennie sat down on the floor her hands grasping unto her hair. She let out a soft growl, and took a couple of deep breaths. Lisa on the other hand, keep sending some mean glares to the old man, who is now standing a feet away from the two. Jennie is starting to get calmer now, little by little, she took another look at the paper, hoping that there would be more information she could use.

-Wait, wait. What's that address? Is that her address?- Jennie point at something at the bottom of the paper, showing it to Lisa

-That's seven years ago Nini.

-So go to the building leasing office and you'll find out who lived there seven years ago. It aint rocket science- said the old man to himself, just casually throwing out ideas

Jennie and Lisa looked at each other, then they both looked at the old man. 

-What? I'm just saying, you know.- the old man shrugged

-Thank you- Jennie bowed 90 degrees to the confused old man

-What you two are doing? Is what I don't get. Why did you wait for this long before you look for that person? I mean, it's been years just like you said. Now you are looking for someone who has that address seven years ago. Are you even sure that they're still here? And if they do, the world is big, so is New York. It's like you two are those other two dumb fishes looking for another dumb fish. 

-But they did find the fish though- Lisa answered, tapping Jennie's shoulder, giving her comfort

-Yes they did- Jennie smiled at the thought that, just like in finding Nemo, even if its almost as impossible to find Nemo, in the end they did find him. And Jennie is as sure as marlin, that she will also find what she was looking for. right?