Chapter Text
College was fun, for Dirk at least. He was the "I'll go to class when I feel like it" kind of guy. He still managed to graduate, somehow, and he was the best roommate Farah could have gotten. He was relatively clean, and was quiet when he needed to be. And by quiet, that means he would go find someone else to bother while she had to study. After growing up in England with no friends, he made it a point to stay on Farah's good side. It wasn't easy. The two would fight once in a while because; "You never show up to class! How did you pass the exam?" But Farah always got over it, because Dirk always promised to help her study for the next one.
After college they both decided Seattle was the next step for them. Well, Farah decided it was, Dirk just wanted to come along for a good time. So off they went to find some jobs and have some fun.
Dirk got on his feet a lot faster than he expected to. He found a great job at the local cafe. They served breakfast all day, and Dirk described it as the "best place in the USA." His simple line of "Refill? Great!" was all too easy. He got to know everyone that came through. He knew almost everyone in town, and if there was anyone he didn't know, he knew at least three people who did. Dirk felt like he was in the perfect place for him.
Strangely, it was harder for Farah to fall in love with the town. She could be any type of body guard or security guard or anything in that field, but no one was looking for one. So she settled for a job selling coats and shoes so she could at least help Dirk pay rent while she looked for something more suited for her. She didn't hate it, but she didn't love it as much as she wanted to.
Two blocks away from Dirk and Farah's apartment (but half a world away) Todd was scraping by. He had a lousy job at a sandwich shop with a boss he hated. When someone asked what came on his sandwiches he simply uttered "mayonnaise, meat, cheese, and lettuce” on repeat. He felt like a robot programmed to perform a routine. He wanted to be a singer/songwriter. The only problem was he couldn’t write a song even if Fate had slapped him in the face with a melody he'd sure fall in love with. His boss, Dorian, would just remind him about how unrealistic singing is and tell him he's just going to be stuck in his sandwich shop for all of eternity. Life at home wasn't too bad, however. He lived with a couple, Patrick and Catherine Spring, and their daughter, Lydia. Todd babysat Lydia when she was a baby. And when his homophobic parents found out he was bi and kicked him out, the Springs welcomed him into their house with open arms. He wasn't upset about it - his parents weren't that great anyway. He loved Patrick and Catherine. So, life was good. Or rather, it was as good as he thought it could be.
It was the day Dirk and Farah moved to Seattle that Catherine passed away. Lydia lost her mother, Todd lost a role model, Patrick lost his heart, and the world lost a ray of sunshine. It took Patrick a few months to go out again, and when he did, he took his favorite picture of her with him wherever he went so he could feel closer to her. And he did. On his first day back into the world, he went to a little cafe.
"Refill?"
Patrick nodded.
"Great!" Dirk began pouring the refill. "Are you new in town? I don't think I've seen you here before."
"Uh no, I've lived here my whole life. I just haven't been out in a while."
“Wait a minute!” Dirk sat in the seat across from the man he’d only ever heard about. “You’re Patrick Spring, aren’t you? I’ve heard a lot about you and Catherine. I’m so sorry to hear what happened, she sounded wonderful.”
“She is wonderful. Tell me, uh-”
“Oh! I‘m Dirk Gently. Pleasure to meet you.”
“Tell me, Dirk, do you believe in soulmates?”
Of course, Dirk said yes, because he does. And Patrick told him the greatest love story in the world. About their first date being a night he’ll never forget, and that being the night he knew he was with the one. Dirk marveled in the glow of a man so utterly in love. Patrick smiled, a real genuine smile, for the first time since Catherine’s passing. Talking about her made him feel a little closer to her.
“That was beautiful. And so romantic. You’re so lucky to have had that.”
Patrick chuckled. “I really was. Anyway, you should get back to work. I’m sorry to have bothered you. I must get going.” He stood up and began to leave.
“Uhm, Mr. Spring?”
Patrick turned around.
“Would you mind coming back tomorrow? I’d love to hear more.” Dirk inquired.
He nodded. “I’d love to. Thank you, Dirk.”
Patrick left, with a feeling in his heart that he missed. He looked forward to coming back.
Down the road, a strangely similar encounter occurred.
“TODD!” Dorian shouted as he came running into the sandwich shop.
“Yes, Dorian?” Todd mumbled in the most respectful tone he could conjure.
“What does that sign say, Todd? Read it! Tell me what it says!”
He saw it.
“It says Sandwiches. Obviously. This is a sandwich shop. What else would it say?”
“Read. It. Again.” Dorian breathed way too harshly.
Todd took a deep breath and whispered. “Snadwiches.”
“SNADWICHES! Do we look like a snadwich shop to you, Todd!?”
“No.”
“No! Order a new sign and don’t mess it up this time!” Dorian shouted as he stomped off to his office.
Todd groaned and rested his face in his hands.
“Well he seems grumpy,” a soft voice whispered.
Todd looked up. Standing in the doorway way was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She had wonderful curly dark hair that outlined her lovely face. Her brown skin seemed to glow so effortlessly in a way Todd had never seen before. Her beauty made Todd forget he was just being yelled at moments before.
“Who?”
“Your boss? He should give you a break. It’s not like you did it on purpose.”
Oh yeah. The sign. “I did do it on purpose.”
“Really? Why?”
“Because I hate him. And I don’t have the balls to quit so I’m hoping if I mess up enough he’ll fire me.”
“Think he will?”
“After snadwishes , I’d say I have one foot out the door.”
The girl laughed, which was just as beautiful as the smile that accompanied it.
“What’s your name?” Todd asked before he could stop himself.
“Farah Black.”
“Farah Black.” He repeated. “Nice to meet you. I’m Todd Brotzman.”
“Well Todd Brotzman. Can I get a snadwich before I’m late to my first day of work?”
“Of course.”
As Todd made her sandwich they made quite small talk. She told him about how she would be selling coats and shoes. He told her about his bad luck with song writing.
“Alright. One snadwich for Farah Black.”
“Thanks. And I’ll be sure to write you a terrible review.” She said as she left.
Todd smiled.
And Farah went to work. She caught on to the job quickly - they had an aisle of coats and an aisle of shoes, it wasn’t like she had much to learn. She went on with her day thinking about Todd and thinking about how much more she wanted to be.