There were these moments which strung together his life. Happy times those were. Noons on the bike and evenings throwing stones in the lake or hiking up the hill. Childhood nights by the telescope watching stars and teenage nights peering into Bertha's house waiting for her to change into her blue nightie. Once both Glen and Stan had been smoking in the attic. And when Glen's mom showed up, they were trying to investigate where the smoke was coming from, something might have been on fire. They were grounded for a month.

Time flew in a Concorde. High and fast. It might have been just yesterday that they graduated from Signhand High. Graduation party was booze, convertible and mind-splitting Metal music. That had been over 8 years ago. College followed, Business for Stan, English for Glen. Then came the naturally the bookshop: The Fluttering Pages. A big bookshop downtown of their own gave both of them unparalleled highs. Stan was the brain; Glen was the heart of The Fluttering pages.

Money flowed in. Glen had started dating his secretary, Maggie. Stan had got engaged to Bertha. Things had been looking up.
Then came the offer.

Glen had been offered a full-time teaching post at the University. Though the pay didn't match up to the shop, teaching was what Glen had his heart set upon. Also, some major factors in the bookshop's success were the discussions, lectures, seminars and debates Glen (Creative head and partner, The Fluttering Pages) held upon books and writers.

Glen had told Stan about the offer. Stan grinned and gave him a mock thumbs-up. Glen said that he wanted to take the job. Stan was taken aback. He asked him to come over to his place for dinner. They would discuss this.

Dinner had been shrimp in garlic sauce, roasted beef, Russian salad and Glen's favorite - Chicken Tikka. Stan's mom had brought fluffy chocolate pastries with vanilla ice cream at the end.

Glen would probably never forget even a single thing about that dinner. Even the previously unseen antique cut-glass crockery. It was grander than Thanksgiving. Stan requested Glen to carefully consider his move. It seemed very sudden to Stan. Of course, if it didn't work out; if Glen grew bored of his job as a Professor there was his job waiting at the shop always. But the shop would miss him. More so, Stan would miss him. Glen finished his pastry. He said that he would miss him too but the teaching meant a lot to him. He would try to make it here every alternate weekend. Stan wished him luck, stood up and said he was free to leave. Glen saw the hurt in his eyes. He didn't want to leave like this. He asked Stan to drop him. That would give him some time alone with him and maybe he could try and make him feel better. Stan hesitated for a moment but finally picked up his keys and jacket.