“Right,” said Bill, “Now that he doesn’t have a car for you and your pals to go joyriding in.”
         Jim slammed his pint down so hard he spilled some beer on the bar.
         “But Jesus, man! Fifty thousand bucks!” he said, “Where the hell am I supposed to find that kind of money. What a farging jerk.”
         Bill looked at him, shaking his head. He said, “You know, son, if I owned a classic car like that, I’d probably sue you too if you wrecked it.”
         Jim looked at him contemptuously. He said, “Whatever, Bill, just keep ‘em comin’”
         Bill shook his head and returned to his tasks. “Suite yourself,” he mumbled as he turned away. Jim stayed and continued drinking, and as he was lighting up a cigarette a hand slapped him on the shoulder from behind.
         “Havin’ some rough times there, buddy?” yelled the assailant in his ear.
         Jim spun around to face the guy, “What the hell?” he snapped. The guy, who looked not much older than him, was a tall, lanky ginger with big ears and big front teeth, and was wearing way more jewelry than any man should ever get away with.
         “So you’re name’s Jim, eh?” he said, ignoring Jim’s snap. “Jim Starkey?”
         “Yeah, what’s it to you?” said Jim.
         “Your parents were George and Jennifer Starkey?”
         “Yeah, they were.” said Jim, “Who the hell are you?”
         “Holy shit! It is you!” said the lanky guy, all excited, “Little Jimmy! Shit, have you ever grown.”
         Jim repeated his previous question, more tersely this time.
         “Who the hell are you?”
         The lanky guy extended his hand for a handshake.
         “I’m Lenny Birdstein,” he said, “I flew on the same interplanetary freighter as your parents.”
         Jim ignored Lenny’s outstretched hand who awkwardly put it back in his pocket.
         “Well,” he said, “either you got the wrong guy or you’re full of shit. My parents died in a drunk re-entry crash when I was two. What, were you flying on a freighter when you were a kid?” He turned around to get back to his beer but Lenny sat down on the stool next to him. He pulled out a picture from his wallet.
         “Check this shit out.” he said.
         Jim gave the photo a passing glance and then doubled back to take a closer look. The picture, it turned out, was of Lenny, looking no younger than he did now, with none other than Jim’s mother... as a teenager. It looked like a graduation photo; his mother was wearing a light green dress and Lenny was wearing a baby-blue suite and was holding Jim’s mother in a way that Jim found more than a little inappropriate.
         “What the hell?” he said, “That’s my mother!”
         “Heh heh, yeah,” said Lenny, “She was a real hottie.” Jim shot him an angry glance. Lenny added, “I bet you’re wondering why I haven’t aged a day.”
         “I’m wondering why you have a picture of my mom in your wallet.” said Jim. He paused and added, “But, uh, that’s kinda weird, too.”
         Lenny gave a little chuckle.
         He continued, “Well, I’ll tell you, Jim. I just came back from a mission to Earth. Was on one o’ them big, corporate starships. Eight standard years there, eight back. But it only felt like a couple weeks to me ‘cause they freeze you in cryostasis for most of the journey.”
         Jim’s interest was piqued and he turned his stool to face Lenny.
         “Yeah, I’ve heard about that. What was it like?”
         Lenny grinned and inched his stool a little closer.