SETH RIVERA AND THE ULTIMATE BLACK CARD

HOPE IN THE RYE

Seth found himself walking out of Phoebe's company with his head bowed low. He knew that this was not going to be easy, but he did not actually think that Phoebe would leave Jim just like that.

"Of course! What was he thinking anyway? That he could just waltz in here and say some stupid things and Miss Patterson would just go with him?"

"He does not understand that there is a world of difference between them. And frankly, Ms. Phoebe would be far better off with Mr. Murray than slumming it with this good for nothing fool." 

The whispers around him did not do much to reduce their tones into incoherent sounds, yet, they spoke ever so loudly enough for him to hear their hurtful words.

Eyes of hate and anger shot invisible darts at his back, and as he approached the security guards position, he could hear laughter erupt from one of them.

"And he thought we were penniless gossips. Look who was shown his place?" The guards laughed.

"I actually sincerely feel bad for him, I just wished he had listened to us and went away when we warned him. The Pattersons are such a big name, where did they even find a man like him?"

The clear, whispering insults followed him out the door, hitting his back like a swelling boulder.

As he stepped outside, the cold wind of approaching winter hit across his chest through his not so thick leather jacket, causing him to shiver, more from the embarrassment than from the cold.

Seth pulled his jacket together and continued his journey down the silky streets of Kingston. His mind rummaging back to the fact that he was a rich man and could now afford to buy his dignity back, he just silently prayed that Phoebe would be strong enough to wait just a little while longer.

As he continued to walk, lost in his thoughts. He felt his current phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out of his coat pocket and stared at it. It was the customer care line he had called earlier on the night before.

He pressed 'receive', right before tailomg the phone to his ear.

"Hello Sir, good morning to you. This is the Managers of Kingston's Treasury. We were informed of your request, and I was told that the information regarding the current situation of your account has been disclosed to you." The pertinent, male voice stated over the phone.

"Yes, Mr. Manager, i have been informed and I really do not understand how difficult it would be to check the balance of an offshore account." Seth replied impatiently.

"Sir, this is no fault of ours, we chose specifically an offshore account that is linked with your business account currently in the city. And quite frankly speaking, our choices were built from the speculation of safety and security. " He explained in a salient,  and patient voice.

"These offshore accounts are like safes with six factor authentication security codes. Even we ourselves as the Bank that authorized the account can't have easy access to it for the safety of your money, and even much so, if the amount we deposited has been built overtime from the businesses and investments carried out within the shores of the said country involved. I hope I am making sense Sir?" The manager asked when he was done kindly explaining things to him.

"So, you are saying that I am even more wealthy than the first the first time the money was deposited into the offshore account?" Seth's eyes widened with glee and a fat smirk sat on his face that could not be wiped away.

The story just kept getting sweeter for him. This was the hope in the rye that changed everything for him.

"Yes Sir, specifically speaking, it is so." The Manager replied.

"So, what do you need from me?" Seth asked carefully.

"In order for us to be able to access the account, you have to be present. You are the only one who can have access to the account. You Sir are the six factor authentication security code.neededd to gain access to the account." The manager replied.

"How so?" Seth asked as all of this was becoming confusing to him.

"We need your biometrics, everything will be fully explained once you get here Sir" the Manager replied patiently.

"Alright, no problem. I'll see you there in a bit." Seth replied, and with that, he cut the call.

As soon as he replaced his phone in his pocket, he carefully scanned his environment. He was currently on a busy street, but the Kingston's Treasury was still about two blocks from where he stood.

He put his hand in his pocket, and fished out something. It was the one dollar note, Aidan had carelessly thrown at him the night before, as mockery.

Everyone had laughed at him. He shook his head at the note, although, he had a sense of hope that the said.note which had been meant for his shame would come explicitly in handy for him.

He continued to walk down the street, believing that one easy step at a time and he would get to the bank eventually. It did not matter how long it took him, he knew he would get there somehow.

Although, before be had gone half way ahead, his shoes which had long become to small for his large sized feet began to pinch at his toe. He bent to rub the sore spot just above his toes before continuing to venture down the painful path.

As soon as he rounded the first corner on his right, he came across a flower shop, and just leaning on the shop wall was a bike big enough for him to ride.

A little boy say beside it licking a bar of popsicle which cost a couple of cents only.

The boy seemed to enjoy the popsicle, so much so that an idea dropped in Seth's head.

He pulled out the one dollar note he had in his pocket, and walked up to he kid.

"Hey ,little boy, can I rent your bike?" Seth asked the dusty skinned, and razz haired little boy who peered up at him from his popscicle licking.

"What are you offering?" The little boy who was about none years old asked back.

"I'll buy you a popscicle?" Seth replied asking.

"No, how about three?" The boy's tiny voice replied.

Impressed with his negotiation skills, Seth pulled out the dollar note and handed it to him.

"Here, you can keep it and buy all the popscicles you want.

"Gee, thanks man! You can have the bike for as long as you want! I come by the site over there where they are trying to create sewage system for the Mall!" The little boy squealed excitedly.

"So, when can I find you to return the bike?" Seth asked him.

"By three thirty, the workers leave the site to get food, that is when I rush off to my next work at the pier, and that is like fifteen minutes from here." The boy replied.

"Busy man, okay, it's 10:36 now, sure I'll have it back by two thirty" Seth said and the boy nodded.

"Okay" he handed the bike to Seth, and he rode it hurriedly to the Treasury house where he was certain he will have everything he needed settled.

The Security man at the door stopped Seth in his tracks for two reasons; 

First he had gotten off a bike that was old and rusty enough to have been handed down through five generations.

"Sir, you would have to pack that somewhere far from here. You can't tie that there" he said to Seth when he saw that he had tied the bike to the pole directly in front of the Treasury house.

"Why? What is wrong with tying it there? There is no other pole a metre from here as you can see" Seth asked the man.

"Sir, that is an inappropriate object you have placed in front of our establishment, and I am urging you to dislodge that thing from our premises!" The man said vehemently.

"That thing is an ordinary bicycle, and I don't see how it is a threat to your establishment!" Seth queried. Suddenly, he understood that he was not going to make headway if he stood there arguing with the said Security guard.

"So, what do you suggest that I do with it?" He asked the Security in an aggravated tone.

"I do not know Sir...just behind there is a place I am certain you can keep it, out of sight and it is quite secure. Although I sincerely doubt anyone in their right senses would want to steal that!" The security guard replied.

Seth shook his head at him, and quietly untied the bicycle from the pole it was tied to, and rode it to the corner the man had described, and yo his greatest surprise, the place was a refuse spot.

There were alot of abandoned things there; an old sofa, empty cartons of salmon and crates upon crates of old can drinks, which had dlong been discarded. The place itself reeked of disaster and rotten tomato pastes, and old decayed onions.

Seth's stomach churned as he used his finger to block out the smell. He found an old , large plasma carton lying next to the sofa. He picked it up and used it to cover the bicycle which he leaned against the back of the torn and rat eaten sofa.

Returning back to the security post, he was stopped again. "I'm sorry Sir, you can't go in through this entrance." The same man said to him.