Chicago—December 21
After sleeping in until two in the afternoon and several cups of coffee to ward off his drug hangover, Leland took the Broadway bus to New Town and headed for the Men’s Den. Stepping across the threshold of the exclusive men’s clothing store, he felt as if he’d entered a parallel universe.
Cliff’s words from the past rushed back to him: “You’re not wearing that ratty old thing to class,” referring to an oversized jacket that would easily fit a lumberjack.
“EAU does not have a dress code,” Leland replied if a bit pompously. “If you had your way, you’d have me donning an expensive suit and slogging through snow and mud from one building to another. Dressing up isn’t practical in this severe climate.”
“Just because no one does it doesn’t mean—”
“End of discussion. Thi
