Chelsea and the others look surprised. They haven’t seen him confront anyone like this before. But Mr. C definitely doesn’t like people getting taken advantage of.
“No, it ain’t,” the guy says, plucking the bills from the newly-married couple’s outstretched hands. “I’m here every Monday, making an honest living like anyone else.”
The crowd surges forward as the guy calls out, “Follow the queen!” and starts to slide the cards around. Mr. C has that puzzled expression on his face again as they back away from the circle.
“Everything okay, Mr. C?” Chelsea asks. “Maybe we should just go home now?”
“That’s the problem…I’m not sure we can,” he says. “I mean, not exactly.”
“What do you mean?” Gabby says.
“Look around,” Mr. C says. “Something feels…off.”
The kids turn to look more closely around them. Nothing looks that unusual. “Well, maybe in the time we’ve been gone people have taken up roller blading again,” Cooper suggests. “I tried it once, it was fun.”
“Maybe,” Mr. C says, but he doesn’t sound convinced. “I’m almost positive that card scam was banned ten years ago.”
The group of college kids laugh at something. Chelsea looks at them more closely. She realizes their music is coming out of a large radio box in the middle of the blanket. That’s not so weird, right? But none of the teenagers have phones in their hands. One woman in a business suit is talking on her phone as she walks, but no one is texting or playing video games. No one is even taking a selfie–the tourists actually have cameras around their necks. Like, big ones, she thinks, with the lenses sticking out. Mr. C is right, something is just a little off. A chill goes up her back.
Storm clouds are moving in, and a man selling umbrellas has popped up seemingly out of nowhere and offers them some. They shake their heads and take cover from the drizzle under the tree.
“Clear a path for Mayor Giuliani.” A pair of policeman motion for people to step back as they arrive with a partially bald man in a dark suit and wire-rimmed glasses. The man smiles and shakes hands as he strolls to the stage.
“Your term’s almost over!” one man shouts out. “What are you gonna do next?”
“I’m going to Disneyland!” the mayor jokes. The crowd laughs.
Confused, Gabby whispers, “I thought some guy named Bill was the mayor of New York City?”
“He is,” Cooper says. “My dad helped run his campaign. Giuliani hasn’t been mayor since…” he stops abruptly and then says, “hold on, I’ll be right back.” They watch in surprise as he scrambles up the tree! “That’s what I thought!” he calls down, but doesn’t leave the branch. He just keeps staring off into the distance like he’s seen a ghost.
