TIS05
DINER RECEIPT
RECEIPT NUMBER: TIS05
RECEIPT DATE: 12 21 1988
MANAGER TITLE: #64
RECEIPT NOTES:
Despite my misgivings, it was nice to have one last gathering. I’m not being fatalistic, for what it’s worth. I don’t know if #8 will defy the odds or not. I hope he does. What I mean is… mon amour is returning home—or rather, returning to where she belongs. I’d like to think this is her home now, but… well…
It doesn’t really matter, does it?
Before sending her off, we exchanged gifts. For mon amour, I gave her a journal. If she can’t access the CaDComs, I hope this will at least give her a way to keep her thoughts. It’s not a glamorous gift, of course, but what could I possibly give someone as brilliant as her?
For my most trusted associate, I gave him the keys to the Cafe. A symbolic gesture of trust, more than anything practical. And as a bonus, I’ll never have to be the one to lock up. And for #8… well, some things are best kept private.
Mon amour, naturally, brought wonderful gifts for everyone—rare, expensive treasures that are hard to come by, especially in the States. My most trusted associate, ever thoughtful, gave us all books. I didn’t catch a good look at what the others received, but me? Ah, mon nouvel ami, he knows me. The Complete Poems of François Villon, translated by John Heron Lepper. A truly thoughtful gift.
…And then there were #8’s presents.
Strange things, as expected. And, of course, he didn’t explain any of them—just offered his little knowing smile. To me, he gave a snow globe. Instead of a traditional winter scene, it’s a meticulous recreation of the Cafe’s exterior. For mon amour, he gifted a simple candle—mundane at first glance, though he seemed to think otherwise. And for my most trusted associate, #8 gave a single playing card. An Ace. That one, he did try to explain. “A wild card,” he said.