“What do you feel like for lunch?” Bob asked Max, who was hunched over his laptop in the adjacent cubicle.

 

Max looked up and pursed his lips. Burger, burger, burger, burger, burger, he thought. But rather than giving that as his answer, he said, “What are you in the mood for?”

 

“I’m thinking we could grab a burger,” Bob replied. “I know a little place called Stewey’s. Best hamburgers around. They’re as thick as my hand.”

 

“I’d be okay with a burger,” said Max, mentally smacking his lips.

 

“Only one thing.”

 

“What?”

 

“My car’s in the shop today. Stewey’s is on the other side of the Broadway Bridge. And you don’t drive, which means…”

 

Max stood, placed both arms on the half-wall separating the two cubicles and looked at Bob. “Which means what? I may be new to town, but I know the bridge is less than a half mile away. We’ll walk.”

 

Bob glanced upwards and sighed. “You don’t keep up with the news, do you?

 

Max shook his head.

 

“There’ve been a lot of robberies on the bridge the past few months. Not sure I feel safe.”

 

It’s broad daylight, Max thought. I’m a big guy. I’ll protect you.”

 

“On second thought,” said Bob, “I guess it’ll be okay. It’s broad daylight. Besides, you’re a big guy. No one would dare rob us.”

 

Within minutes, the two began their journey.

 

It’s warm out, thought Max. We don’t need jackets.

 

“Guess I steered you wrong,” said Bob, taking off his coat. “We didn’t need these after all. Which is strange because the guy on the radio this morning said it was going to be cool and he’s usually not wrong.”

 

“No worries.”

 

“Let’s get back to our conversation.”

 

“About hamburgers?” Max asked.

 

“No, the one we were having before we got called into the morning meeting. We were talking about ESP. The point I wanted to make is that extrasensory perception or telepathy, or mind reading, or the sixth sense — whatever you want to call it — is complete fantasy. And — hey, you needn’t walk so fast. What’s the rush?”

 

I’m hungry. You are too.

 

“On second thought, never mind. I didn’t realize how starved I am. Anyway, why were you saying you think ESP is real?”

 

Max stopped and put a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

 

“I believe what I said is that all living things, no matter what they are or where they’re from, have an ability to sense that which is beyond the physical—that it’s wired into all creatures, but that over time you've suppressed it,” Max said, resuming his walk.

 

Bob was just about to respond when the pair spotted a woman on the other side of the street waiting for the light to change.

 

“I think I’m in love,” whispered Bob. “Look at her. She’s beautiful.”

 

Yes, she is lovely, Max told himself. I believe she’s wearing what they refer to on this planet as a miniskirt.

 

The light changed and the woman began walking their way.

 

Smile as you pass. Smile as you pass. Smile as you pass, thought Max.

 

The woman turned her head and smiled as she walked by.

 

“Did you see her checking me out?” Bob whispered excitedly when she was out of range.

 

Max rolled his eyes.

 

“Anyways, back to your theory,” said Bob. “It’s a bunch of crap. Look, you may know a lot about computer programming — hell, you’re probably the best damn programmer in the company — but if you think ESP is real, you’re a moron.”

 

Just then they reached the bridge and Max felt a sudden wave of tension from his companion. He looked over to see Bob eyeing a teenager on a bicycle riding towards them.

 

Interesting, Max thought. You say ESP is crap, yet you’ve realized that this fellow plans to do us harm.

 

“We should have taken the bus,” Bob said, his voice cracking.

 

Don’t worry. I won’t let anything get in the way of us — and those burgers.

 

When the teen was about ten feet away, he stopped, got off his bicycle, and reached into the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt.

 

“Hand over your wallets,” the youth demanded, “and keep walking.”

 

Pick up your bike, toss it over the side of the bridge, and leave us alone, Max thought.

 

A moment later, the teen did just that. As the three listened to the splash of water, the teen gazed at them in confusion, his mouth hanging open. Then he shrugged and walked away.

 

Later, at Stewey’s, Bob said, “Didn’t I tell you the burgers here were awesome?”

 

“They are delicious,” Max agreed, licking ketchup from his fingers.

 

“I have to tell you Max, I’m still having a hard time figuring out why that kid on the bridge did what he did. He must’ve been on drugs or something.”

 

“Or something.”

 

“When he put his hand in his pocket, I thought for sure he was going to pull a gun. I thought we were toast.”

 

“I sensed we’d be okay.”

 

Bob put down his burger and shook his head. “Oh no, you’re not going to start in on that sixth sense BS again, are you?”

 

Why don’t you pay for lunch? thought Max.

 

“By the way, I’ll get the check,” said Bob, changing the subject.

 

Now, how about suggesting that we go out for martinis after work? And you can pay for the first one.

 

“And if you’re not doing anything after work, what say you we go out for martinis? I’ll get the first round — on the condition we drop all this talk about ESP. Deal?”

 

“Deal.”

 

“Good, because like I say, it’s all BS. Next thing you’ll be trying to convince me Bigfoot is real and that extraterrestrial beings are living amongst us.

 

Max took the last bite of his burger and dabbed the side of his mouth with his napkin.

 

If you only knew how right you are, Bob. If you only knew…