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</div>Henry liked the cool, brisk weather.  It was a welcome change from the desert heat of Iraq.  But then, he'd always hated hot weather, even as a kid.  Summer was his least favorite season of the year.  At least the hot and humid summers that seemed to becoming a norm.  He didn't know shit about global warming, but it did seem like summers were getting worse.  He had an apartment above a bookstore a block away, so he always walked to work.<br/><br/>The March wind was blowing leaves around that should have been raked up last fall, along with various other trash.  He was going to have to sweep up in front of the store, once he clocked in.  Henry checked his watch as he approached Bubble Beads, seeing Milo unlocking the front door.  He had a little time to put on his game face.<br/><br/>"A bit chilly out there this morning, isn't it?"  He knew Milo's red face wasn't strictly because of the cold.  And he knew Milo was self-conscious about his skin condition, so he said nothing about it.  Henry's back looked shredded, but at least he could hide his condition under a shirt.<br/><br/>Grabbing a broom, he went back outside to sweep up the leaves and trash.  That included the leaves and trash in front of the other shops on the strip, since the wind would eventually blow it over in front of Bubble Beads.  Henry didn't understand the hostilities between Bubble Beads and Cafe Kinky.  After all, it wasn't like they were selling the same product.  He looked in their shop window as he swept by, nodding to Monty.  He didn't see the rubber babe anywhere in sight, but that didn't mean she wasn't there.  He was fairly sure the mannequins in the windows were actual mannequins under that leather and rubber.  She usually didn't play games with the customers until the evening crowd.<br/><br/>On days with lots of leaves, Henry not only carried a broom, but a snow shovel.  He would sweep the debris into the shovel and then into the trash can outside.  He paused to gaze at the sky.  It almost looked like it could snow again.  But snow wasn't in the forecast. Going back into the shop, he called out to Milo "It's swept up out front."<br/><br/>Stopping by the sink to wash up, he then put on his apron and pulled out the tapioca flour to start making the "bubbles" for the bubble bead tea.  He wasn't sure why they didn't just call it Bubble Tea or Bead Tea.  Bubble Beads seemed like a duplication of terms. He shrugged, since no one else seemed to notice that or care.  He was more of a coffee person, anyhow.