I kiss my wife.

I am going to be gone for several days, but I try to soften any potential anxiety, "This assignment will likely prove to be rather simple.  All I have to do is go to a small town in Michigan."

Beth doesn't smile, "Forgive me, Joe ...you know how much I'd like to be reassured, but you've said this so many times before. The small town, and rather simple assignment ...hasn't that often turned into the most difficult assignments?"

"I'll be okay," trying to convince myself, as I kiss her again, before departing.

She was right, of course, but this time I was to travel to a town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan ...with a population of just over 400 people.  How difficult could that be?  From what I've heard, nothing ever happens up there.

It proves to be a rather pleasant trip ...and according to the directions, I'll be arriving at my destination very soon.

The sign reads: Paradise ...population 411

I can't think of Beth at this time ...get with it, I've got to focus. It's not me and Beth at this time ...it's Joe, and the assignment.

And just after the sign is supposed to be a gas station, with a wooden bench outside ...an old man with white hair and a neatly trimmed beard would be sitting there.  And he would be wearing a tan fishing hat, with fishing lures on it.  Joe feels that gives him a rather precise description of his contact.

Yes, there's the gas station ...and an old man with white hair is sitting on a bench out front.

But, wait!!

Directly across the street is another gas station ...and it too has a wooden bench out front, with a man of the same description sitting there.

Suddenly, that precise description seems less than sufficient.

Joe decides to park on the far end, near the trash bin.  He dumps several bags of empty fast food into the bin.  Then he casually walks past the old man on the bench ...who fits the exact description, down to the detail of the tan fishing hat with lures on it.

Joe crosses the street to the other gas station.  It is rather cool this morning.  He looks to the side, allowing his hoodie to shelter the breeze, but is sure to look in both directions ...though there is no traffic anywhere.

As he walks past the front of this gas station, he notices the unbelievable similarity of this man ...with no distinguishing difference that could alert him as to whom his contact is.

Suddenly, Joe comes up with a plan.  He unzips his hoodie, and places his hands on his hips, "Excuse me, sir, could you please tell me the best place to buy fishing gear around here?"

The question was what he was to precisely ask, but any number of people could ask that question ...it was the belt he was wearing, and now showing the old man, which was to confirm that he was the old man's contact.  The question was only to get the old man to look at his belt.

The old man says, "Why, yes ...and I can also show you the best places to fish."

Joe says, "Great ...but, I can't talk just now.  How about you meet me at that Burger Blast ...at one o'clock?"

The old man says, "That will be just fine ...by the way, my name is Josh.  See you then."

"Great ...and oh, my name is Joe."

Josh smiles, "I know."

Joe zips his hoodie, and walks across the street to the other gas station.  He steps up to this man, unzips his hoodie, and asks, "Excuse me, sir, could you please tell me the best place to buy fishing gear around here?"

The old man does not immediately make eye contact, looking at his waist, "Why, yes ...and I can also show you the best places to fish."  

Joe says, "Great ...but, I can't talk just now. How about you meet me at that Burger Blast ...at one o'clock?" 

The old man says, "That will be fine ...by the way, my name is Moe.  See you then."  

"Great ...and oh, my name is Joe."  

Moe smiles, "I know."

Joe thinks ...two people almost identical, but one named Josh and the other one named Moe. Why couldn't he have been told what his contact's name was?  At this point, that would have been a clear way to distinguish the two.

As one o'clock comes around, Joe enters Burger Blast.  There are only two other customers there ...Josh and Moe.

Joe approaches the one who is closest to the door ...the other is at the other end of the restaurant. Joe usually prides himself with keeping straight little details, but he is uncertain who is who.  He guesses, "Hi, again ...Moe."

The old man smiles, "Hi, Joe ..."

Joe sits down at his table.

Moe whispers, "Listen ...this is a very important mission.  That other man at the other end of the restaurant, who looks like me, is an impostor."

Josh gets up from the other end of the restaurant, "I can hear you ...you know."  And Josh walks over to the table where Joe and Moe are sitting.

Moe insists, "I can't allow this ...this assignment is over!"

Joe looks at Moe, then at Josh ...then addresses them both, "We can't afford to abort this mission.  I understand that both of you are here for a reason.  I am only supposed to have one contact ...and I'm not sure which one of you it is, but it's going to have to be my responsibility to figure that out.  One of you agree with me ...on how important it is for this assignment to go well, and the other one must realize how important it is for you not to let me know you disagree with that point.  So, I'm asking you both to go back to your gas station benches ...and I will try to start over."

Both men leave.   And Joe attempts to gather his thoughts, clear his mind, and rehearse in his mind the plan he has thought up ...to see if it even sounds good to him.  But, as usual, he has no time to attempt to figure out all the angles.

Joe approaches Moe first.  

Moe doesn't give Joe a chance to talk first, "You need to get rid of that other old man, right away ...or we can't even hope to achieve this mission!  But, don't do it here on the main road ...take him down the road in back of my gas station, about a mile or so.  There's an old shack by a lake ...and a boat.  They will probably never find him ...but, if they somehow do, they'll just think it was an accident."

Joe doesn't react, leaving Moe no clue as to whether he has convinced him, or not.  He just nods, and walks across the street.

As Joe approaches, Josh asks, "So, have you accomplished anything?"

Joe looks into Josh's eyes, "Do you want me to eliminate that other old guy?"

Josh replies, "No ...yet, I admit there were times in the past where it was necessary, when there was much trouble in Paradise.  But, no, there is much good around here now ...and Moe is needed."

Joe asks, "How is that?"

Josh appears in great thought, "Well ...for contrast."

Joe is perplexed, "Pardon me?"

Josh asks, "Do you have handcuffs?"

Joe hesitates, "Well ...yes."

Josh suggests, "Well, pretend you are putting them on me ...and escort me to your car.  Then go into my gas station, and turn everything upside down ...see if you find anything.  Then go across the street, and ask Moe if you can search his gas station."

Joe pretends to handcuff Josh, and escorts him to his car, "What will this prove?"

Josh replies, "Moe is hiding something.  He will make up some excuse for you not to search his station.  Go along with his suggestion.  He will be satisfied enough that he thinks you don't trust me ...and he'll probably even forget that he was pretending to be your contact, as long as he thinks you are going to get rid of me down that road in back of his station."

Joe doesn't know what to think, "How did you know he wanted me to get rid of you in back of his station?"

Josh smiles, "He's been trying to do that for some time now."

Joe goes inside Josh's station ...and makes sure he especially tosses about things in front of the window.  After several minutes, he crosses the street, and asks Moe, "Is it okay if I have a look inside your station.  I can't remember exactly, but I do remember that part of my assignment was to see what I could find in your station ...since you are my contact person."

Moe quickly replies, "No, no ...I'm sure you were supposed to check the other station, which you already did.  I can't believe they messed up so much on this information.  We almost failed in making contact because of that other old impostor.  I have to tell you, he is real tricky.  You won't believe how many times he's escaped.  For an old man, you wouldn't believe it ...but, you have to quickly take care of him first, then we can talk." 

Joe wonders about Josh being so right about Moe ...if that is enough to go on, for believing Josh.

Moe points, "Look at that ...did you see that!"

Joe looks, but sees nothing, "What?"

Moe sounds urgent, "Hurry, it looks like he's trying to get out of those handcuffs!  You'd better go check to see if he's secure ...then take care of business!"