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Tyler wiped his brow, looking down at the cup in his hand. Thin fingers, spotted and shaky with age, counted the coins.
Two dollars and thirty two cents.
He sighed, getting off the subway and making his way to McDonald's. As he pushed open the door and the customer warning beeper went off, the opperssive and syrupy smell of grease and fat attacked his nostrils. He ignored it or didn't notice.
He looked up at the menu, squinting. He couldn't read the numbers at all, he hadn't bee able to since he lost his glasses. But that didn't matter, he'd come here often enough to know approximate prices.
He stepped up to the counter, dropping his change onto its fake granite surface.
"The usual." he said, his voice scratchy like an old instrument.
"Ahkay, Tyler." said the zit-faced youth, tapping buttons. A sad expression crossed his face. "Uhm, I'm sorry. The price has gone up... you can still get a sandwich."
"That's fine." Tyler responded slowly. "Food's food."
"Oh, and we have a special surprise for you today. It's your birthday, right?"
There was a pause as the old man consulted his old, clogged memory.
"Yeah... yeah, it is."
"Good! Just sit down and wait, then."
Tyler nodded and sat down nearby, thinking. What was the surprise? He wasn't allowed to get handouts, he'd tried day after day. So what could they give him without risking their jobs?
The tray arrived, and Tyler chuckled, smiling a rare smiled that hurt as his parched lips cracked.
Next to the sandwich lay an application for employment.