Eddie and Mary Ann were not having a good power walk. It was an okay day but the two of them started off on the wrong foot. Mary Ann went out with her girlfriends last night and didn’t get home until late or rather, early in the morning. Eddie wasn’t upset at all about that, since he went out with his boys the night before. No, he was upset with the fact that Mary Ann was hungover as hell. He told her to eat before she went out but she didn’t pay him any mind and now she was paying the price.

Even though she gave up smoking a few months ago, she had a few cigarettes last night and he had no cause for complaints for he too did the same the night before. They walked around Pier A in Hoboken, attempting a fast pace but not achieving it since Mary Ann wasn’t operating on all cylinders. She was a bit stressed about the upcoming work week and she was also stressed about that guy from the bar who wanted to buy her a drink. She turned him down politely and thought that would be the end of that. But it wasn’t.

She didn’t want to tell Eddie but it looked like the guy who tried to buy her a drink was following the two of them. Maybe it was him, maybe it wasn’t. Things did get a bit blurry the night before and with all the joggers and runners and power walkers in Hoboken, could she really be sure that this guy was the same one? And the three guys they had just walked past, could it be that they were at the bar last night too? Have all the demons from hell, or from the bar come to haunt her on this melancholy Sunday?

Eddie was oblivious to it all as usual and Mary Ann was annoyed with the fact that Eddie wasn’t tuned into her hung over paranoia. But she could let him know. Maybe he would attribute it to her menstrual cycle. He really didn’t know when her time of the month came, just noted her discomfort. Then he usually took cover and made himself scarce, which according to Mary Ann was a good thing. Mary Ann was tired now and wanted a nap. If the sun was out and shining, she would suggest that she and Eddie just lay in the grass for a little while.

But everything was soggy from all the rain the past few days. It was a good idea for Mary Ann and Eddie just to keep power walking on, past her past. Eddie just wanted to get home and watch TV. He didn’t care much. He didn’t notice the jogger a dozen yards behind them, pacing himself to keep a safe distance from Mary Ann. Eddie asked her if she maybe wanted a pizza later on and she gave him a look that reminded him that she was on yet another diet.