@Glo: The clothes in the washeteria look enticing, but there are just too many women in the place to make it easy to steal some clothes without being caught. The drunk though………………………………

You walk across the street and kneel near the man laying in the alley. A check of his pulse tells you that he is already dead and then you notice the slot in his neck and the chip sticking partially out of it. You have seen the signs of burnout before and this guy is a great example of the dangers of alcohol and BTL chips. Reasoning that he certainly will not miss his clothes, you quickly pull him a bit farther into the alley and begin stripping him. The smell of unwashed man and clothing is almost enough to make you gag, but the threat of succumbing to wet and cold is real and you hold your nose as you remove what he is wearing.

Slipping into the clothing, you do not feel much warmer, but at least you are protected a bit from the rain. Standing, you move back around the corner and slip past the bar to the ‘Shack next door to it. Entering, you note that the shopkeeper is looking at you and keeping one hand below the counter. You can find some clothes in your approximate size, but they are certainly cleaner than what you have on. A real bonus is a hoodie that is a little bigger than your size, but that means the hood will cover more. Taking the items to the counter, you toss some snack food with it and pay the man. He motions to the bathroom when you ask about it and you change your clothes, leaving the rags from the chiphead in the trash bin.

Walking out, you feel much better and certainly warmer. Snapping open the cheap umbrella you bought, you step out from under the awning over the store front and continue walking, munching on a soy-meat stick that tastes vaguely of beef.

114