Paul Scott was not living the life he wished he was. He was in his late forties, balding, and without any chance at a relationship. His job as a car salesman was a joke, and soon he would have to leave his crappy roach-infested apartment. The hardest part of it all was keeping up the appearance that everything was fine in front of his family and the few friends he had.
The last few months he had fallen into the habit of phoning in sick when he could not bring himself to face the world, and on one of these days he had decided to wander around the local mall. He was in his business suit of course, displaying a few days old pit stains, and carrying a briefcase. At least this way people might assume he was merely on lunch break.
Paul followed his feet to the food court, and ordered a triple hamburger. He might as well pig out, he was nearing fifty after all.
"That's $7.59, Sir." the zit faced teen behind the register told him.
"What! They were $5 the other day?" Paul said.
The teen shrugged, and rolled his eyes. As Paul dug through his pockets, at the register next to theirs, he saw a kindred spirit. An attractive woman in a low cut top, rummaging through her purse for change.
"Sorry, that's all I had on me." she said, before biting her lip, and to Paul's surprise she got her order for free! He gawked as she walked away with her food, pushing her two snotty baby girls with her. One of them even turned around and looked at Paul, giving him a weird look!
Of course the kid behind his register was unyielding, so he was resigned to leave without his food. Paul plumped down on one of the plastic chairs in the restaurant, daring them to send him away. He grumbled, feeling cheated out of a good meal.
He glanced down, and spotted a coin. It looked sort of gold in hue but old as hell. Probably wasn't enough to pay for his food either. He picked it up, flipping it without even thinking when he began to mutter aloud.
"I wish people would give me things for free as well." he said, as he flipped it.