Ray walked into the bustling car wash, the familiar scent of soap and exhaust fumes hitting him. The usual faces gave him a nod, but the smiles he got back today were different.
They weren't the usual friendly greetings; there was a knowing glint, a suppressed amusement that made his skin prickle. He felt like he was missing a joke, or worse, was the joke.
Mark, a big man who usually just grunted at him, yelled, "Morning, Ray." Mark winked, then snickered as he turned back to spray down a muddy SUV. Ray frowned, his mind racing. Had his past self done something stupid? Gotten into trouble? His hazy memories of this particular time period focused more on the stifling poverty and his desperate efforts to learn Forex.
He remembered moving out of his dad's house, getting this crummy apartment, and picking up the car wash job. But anything specific from this exact day? Nothing. He grabbed a sponge and a bucket, trying to act normal, but the feeling persisted. He caught another employee, Sarah, whispering to someone, then giggling and looking his way. This was definitely about him.
"Hey, Sarah," Ray said, walking over. "Everything alright?" Sarah jumped, startled, then forced a wide, innocent smile. "Oh, hey, Ray! Yes, everything is excellent. Just... you know. A hectic day." She quickly busied herself with a tire, avoiding his gaze. Ray leaned against a shiny fender, his patience thinning.
"What's going on? Look.? Everyone's looking at me funny." Sarah hesitated, then sighed, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "Okay, look, don't freak out, but... word got around." She lowered her voice. "About your last night's big date. With the twins." Ray stared blankly. "The what now?" "The Thompson twins!" Sarah whispered, her eyes wide.
"From the restaurant? You know, Brenda and Brenda. Everyone's talking about how you managed to get both of them to go out with you at the same time. It's... kind of legendary around here." Ray's jaw nearly dropped. Twins? A date?
Had he been able to pull off a double date with two women who went by the name of Brenda in his past, when he was barely making ends meet? His mind was a complete blank on this. The Ray Carter who had just died in an explosion, the one with women from all over the world, wouldn't have batted an eye.
But this Ray, the one with $5,000 and a cheap apartment, was suddenly the subject of local legend for a date he couldn't even remember. This was going to be more complicated than just making money.