The sun was out on this beautiful summer day, the tree branches swayed slightly, due to the soothing breeze on the beach.
"Excuse me sir... do you know where I could find a place to grab a sandwich?". Asked the lady passing by.
"No sorry, I'm not from here, I am on vacation" Trent responds as he lay on his beach towel in the beautiful Florida sun. Trent had not taking a vacation in years. He was a dedicated fire fighter back in New York City. He feels his job is too important too be taking weeks off at a time He started working there in 2020, it was now 2041 and this was his first extended vacation period ever. Eventually his boss told him he needed to take a break and said he was taking a mandatory vacation, so he did. He is 43 years old, 6'2 in very good shape. He has tan skin and very short light brown hair. He is not married and lives by himself in an apartment in the city.
After several hours of relaxing in the sun, Trent packs up his stuff and walks back to his rental. He turns on the radio but is not familiar with the Florida stations and cannot find anything he likes. He turns the radio off and just enjoys peace and quiet on his car ride back to the hotel. It was his 2nd day of the vacation, he had 6 more to go, yet he was already bored and ready to return to New York.
He arrived at the hotel and went upstairs to his room to wash up, he then went down to the hotel's most eloquent restaurant. He sat down at his table awaiting the waitress, placed his order, and ate his dinner. It was one of the best meals Trent experienced in is life. The salad was the freshest he had ever had the steak was tender and marinated to perfection, and the cheesecake was like heaven. Trent was prepared to leave when all of a sudden a man sat down across from him at the table.
"Hello sir, sorry to trouble you, but I have a great five night luxury vacation package awaiting me in Australia, unfortunately an emergency has occurred and I will be unable to make it. I was wondering if you would like to go instead".
"Uh, excuse me?, I am already on vacation, and I have no idea who you are"
"Yes you are already on vacation but are you having fun? This Vacation includes complimentary meals, drinks, hotel accommodations, air fare. It is too late for me to cancel my reservations so I figured I would do my good dead for the year and give away this package, no strings attached"
Trent looks at him suspicious and confused " So let me get this straight, your going to give me, a stranger, a five night vacation package to Australia, for free, no string attached?"
"Thats exactly what I'm going to do, you do not look like you are enjoying yourself here, and if you do not take this I will be riping it up because my plane leaves in an hour for Los Angeles and I have to be on it. So please just take this package, the plane leaves tomorrow morning at 9am." the man responds
"Well your right about one thing, I am bored out of my mind here, alright I will take it, but please let me pay you for all of this"
"That wont be necessary, please just take it, its been a long time since I have done a good deed"
" Alright, thank you very much, where in Australia if I might ask?"
"Sydney....."
" Well to be honest I have always wanted to go there, wow I cant believe I am taking this from a complete stranger."
" Don't mention it I have to get going now, or I'm going to miss my flight to L.A, just make sure you when you leave Sydney, you don't miss the flight back home, Oceanic 815" says the man, as he gets up and starts to walk away
" Hey, at least tell me your name? So I can remember you and what you did for me."
The man stops as he is about 15 feet away from the table now, turns around, and says...
" My name is.............. Richard, Richard Alpert"