[Griff]

He's never known a razor. Standing at the uncluttered counter of the bike shop, he hands over his Visa card while his mom waits quietly. "$230," says the bike guy. The kid nods, his perfectly clean fitted Yankee cap wags assent. "Declined." "Why?" Bike guy bites his tongue. "It doesn't say." "Run it again." Bike guy shrugs and swipes the card. pause "Declined. Do you have another card?" "It worked before when I bought the..." Kid pulls his vibrating cell phone out of his pocket. "What's the deal with the printer?" pause Staring down impassively at the counter, avoiding eye contact with the shop guy,"Can I get a good copy? I've got quality paper for my resume. Can I get a good copy?" pause "Can I get a good copy?" pause "Can I get a good copy?" long pause "Can I get a good copy?" pause "Can I get a good copy?" Knowing glance from bike guy, there goes my commision "Get you something?" "Couple skinnier 26 by tubes." "Schrader?" "Presta." "10.25." "Here ya go." "Thanks. Sign this." "See ya." "yep." Kid follows me out and jerks a new red 20" out of the rack and drags it inside like a disobedient child.

The long held dream of turning his B.A. in Economics from B.U. into a lucrative career doing urban cycling videos died at the fickle hands of the cruel fiends at Visa. Six weeks of pizza, beer, and porn need to be transferred immediately, time to surf the net for a new deal...