04: His Own Little World (Mister Oblivious)

The place: Ng Street, two blocks away from BuzzGen--the hottest new advertising firm in the city. The time: 12:52, right at the end of the lunch break. Two of BuzzGen's rising stars walked to their office, returning from their meal at Andy's Andes.

"You know, I've never had Peruvian before...it's really good. You were right about that place," Danielle Chen said, just after checking her teeth for stray bits of lamb. "Where are we standing on the Price Industries account?"

Her co-worker, Samir Almasi, shook his head. "I told you, Danielle. I don't talk business outside of the office. I don't care if it does mean we can write off lunch as a business expense."

A man approached them from the other direction. He wasn't dressed like the others on their lunch break--his blue jeans, sneakers, and green short-sleeved shirt were an obvious clash with their business attire. He had a messenger bag slung over his shoulder, and a pair of Beats over his ears, the cord of which trailed down into his pants pocket. He looked down at his feet as he walked, his head bobbing lightly in time with whatever he was listening to.

"The rules are more complicated than that, Samir. Anyway, speaking of business...we'd better get back to the office before the boss has our balls for breakfast."

Samir rolled his eyes. "You watch too much Mad Men."

The man with the headphones kept moving, heading directly for Danielle and Samir. Most of the other sidewalk patrons moved around the man, but the advertisers were too engrossed in their conversation.

Danielle smiled--it was the same smile she usually saved for whenever Darren in Sales was fixing the copier. "What can I say, all those men in suits...mmm."

"I'm still trying to find something to fill the hole left by The Wire," Samir replied. "I've been enjoying True Detective, though."

At this time, the two paths crossed. Danielle spotted the on comer and stepped aside, but Samir was too late. The man in the headphones walked through him and didn't even seem to notice.

Samir turned around and yelled, "Hey! Watch where you're--" He trailed off when he realized what just happened.

walked through him

Samir froze, a rising sense of panic clutching at him. "Wha--who--" he sputtered.

Danielle got an excited look on her face. "I've heard of that guy! They say he--hang on, let me check." She cautiously put her hand against Samir's chest, and giggled when her arm passed through it completely.

"This is so cool!" she yelled, and started waving her arm through his body repeatedly. Samir tried to raise his hands as a defensive gesture, but they put up no more resistance than the rest of him.

"Stop that! What the hell is going on?" Samir instinctively reached for his anxiety medication, but of course his hand went right through his pocket and into his leg.

"Oh, don't be such a baby. The gang back at the office is going to love this." Danielle tried waving her arm through his torso again, only to have her hand bump against his arm.

Danielle frowned a little and said, "Looks like it wore off." Samir, on the other hand, sighed with relief.