I waved the jar of fish food in front of the fish tank. This was my routine and the fish all swarmed to the corner I waved the jar in front of. I gave them their food, and they devoured it instantly. I'd just gotten home from work, and my hunger had reminded me to feed them. I didn't have any food, but I had a paycheck I could cash when the banks opened. I had an hour before the banks opened so I was in no hurry. I checked my messages (I was hoping for a few particular messages). There were four hang ups and two messages from my brother (neither of which I was hoping for). I had a cup of coffee I'd taken from work when I left. I reheated it, sat down in front of the TV and lit a cigarette. There was a commercial for some shit where they kept showing all this food. I knew after I got my check cashed, I'd have to go to Charlie's and get some breakfast. I'd have to go shopping afterward, but I needed to eat first. I watched some horrible local wake up shit til the bank opened then I took off.

There were already a few people outside when I got there, so when it finally opened I had to wait in line. There were three people ahead of me and my thoughts began to wander. I started thinking about what would happen if I tried to rob the bank. Not with a gun or anything, just with a note, or even just asking for all the money. It certainly wouldn't be too good of an idea, I'd cashed a check there every week for the past five years. I wondered if I'd be able to tell them I was just kidding after asking for all the money in the safe.

It was my turn. I gave 'em my check and deposit slip--two hundred cash, two hundred in savings. I broke my check up like this every week. A lady I'd seen at this bank before was walking into the bank as I was leaving. I held the door open for her. This lady was nuts. She was yelling before I opened the door. She walked in angrily yapping schitzo-jibberish. Everybody turned to look at this disruptive menace. She was really old looking, barely five feet tall. She took her huge black sunglasses off and put them in the pocket of the old blazer she wore with her matching skirt. She removed her matching pale lavender hat and held it with her matching purse. Her face now fully exposed, she resumed her schitzo-jibberish complaints in a more dignified tone addressing the tellers as she moved towards the front of the line. I really wanted to stay and see what happened, but I was just standing there holding the door open, so I turned my back to the scene in progress.

I headed over to Charlie's where I usually went every Friday after I got paid. I got the breakfast with three eggs, bacon, toast, and home-fries. I finished the home-fries and put the bacon and eggs on the toast with some ketchup. I had a couple cups of coffee to keep me awake while I went shopping. I didn't have to work Saturday so getting to bed wasn't that important. I had a smoke while I finished my last cup of coffee. My stomach was warm, the caffeine tingled my brain, and the nicotine satisfied and hurt my lungs at the same time. I left a nice tip and paid the cashier on my way out.