7: RAT ON A SINKING SHIP“Righteous shirt,” Melissa said as she approached Benji.
He glanced up from the dead grass where he sat before he took another bite of his sandwich, half of it still wrapped in the Ziploc bag. “Oh, hey …” He snapped his fingers trying to remember. “The taco girl!”
“Yep, that’s me. Brown bagging it today?”
“Sometimes you just gotta slow down and enjoy the finer things in life. Like PB&J.”
Melissa forced a giggle.
“You like Depeche Mode?” he asked.
“Hmm? Oh, your shirt. Totally. Love all their albums. Mind if I join you?”
Benji nodded.
“Where are your other friends? The two girls?” Melissa asked as she sat Indian style diagonal from him.
“Wanted to eat inside.”
“I don’t blame ’em. Aren’t you cold out here?”
“Nope.” Another bite of peanut butter and jelly en
