Bab 146: Stork Club
On July 4, 2012, it was still America's Independence Day. But today also happened to be Captain America's birthday.
For Steve Rogers, ever since his parents passed away, only Bucky remembered his birthday during the first half of his life.
Later, he met people like Peggy and Howard, but they were in the middle of a war, and no one had time to think about things like birthdays.
Ever since waking up from his long sleep, on each birthday, Captain America would go to a quiet place alone, wandering and reminiscing about his past life, the people and the events.
This year, he planned to spend his birthday at the base, looking up at the night sky. But Stark mentioned he was upgrading the base, while Blake and Natasha said they were going out for a walk.
Dr. Banner was hiding in the lab working on who-knows-what, and Thor had gone to find Jane.
For a moment, the Captain, who was used to keeping himself busy every day, suddenly didn't know what to do after the base closed.
It seemed that ever since he visited Peggy, he had become even more sentimental than before, finding it harder to enjoy being alone.
Especially today, on his birthday, the Captain didn't want to spend it alone in the empty Stark Tower.
So, dressed in casual clothes, he went outside. Walking aimlessly, he unexpectedly found himself back at his museum in New York City.
Looking at the photos on the walls and the all-too-familiar displays about himself, it all felt as if it had happened not long ago, yet was so far away.
Especially the photo of him and Bucky standing together—if he hadn't crashed that time, Bucky would surely have taken him out for a drink to celebrate.
With a faint, self-mocking smile, the Captain was just about to turn and leave.
"I'm guessing you might be the first person in the world to visit your own museum!"
A voice full of amusement sounded behind him.
The Captain spun around, only to see a man he didn't recognize—a strong-looking Black man with a friendly smile on his face.
"How did you recognize me?"
The Captain, feeling a bit too tense, gave a self-deprecating smile and asked.
"The glass covering the photo reflects! It's not very clear, but I'm a huge fan!"
The man pointed to the glass over the photo of the Captain and Bucky that he had been looking at.
"Hello, Captain, my name is Sam, Sam Wilson. I used to be in the 58th Airborne Rescue Division. Now, I work at the Veterans Affairs office. By the way, I came to New York today specifically to visit your museum, even though I've been here many times!"
Sam Wilson extended his hand with a smile.
"Steve Rogers!"
The Captain politely introduced himself as well.
"You're the only person here who doesn't need to introduce themselves. So, how's it been adjusting to the world since you thawed out?"
Sam Wilson gave the Captain a natural, friendly vibe, possibly because they were both former soldiers. The two naturally strolled through the museum together, chatting as they went.
"It's not bad. The food is way better than before, and the clothes are much nicer. Plus, the internet is amazing. I spend hours on it every day, trying to keep up with the times!"
Sam Wilson shared interesting stories from recent years, including military, music, and some quirky news items.
Meanwhile, the Captain played tour guide, telling Sam about his past as they looked at different displays in the museum.
"Great meeting you, Captain. It's a shame I have to head back to Washington early tomorrow, or I'd definitely have a drink with you. After all, it's Saturday! By the way, if you ever come to Washington, make sure to contact me. Your experience could really help veterans trying to reintegrate into society!"
"Definitely!"
The Captain and Sam Wilson got along well and exchanged contact information.
After they parted ways, a feeling of loneliness washed over the Captain.
It was something Sam had said: "After all, it's Saturday."
That date with Peggy was also supposed to be on a Saturday.
The Captain remembered vividly apologizing to Peggy over the radio, saying their dance would have to be postponed.
She replied, 'It's fine. Next Saturday at the Stork Club.'
If he had survived and gone to that club, he wondered how his life might look now. Would he still be alive? Would his name be up on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founder wall?
As he was lost in thought, someone suddenly called out to him.
"Sir, sir, I'm having the worst day! I promised my girlfriend we'd go dancing at a club, but I suddenly have to leave New York. I can't reach her on the phone. Could you please let her know? If you don't, she'll leave me for sure. Please, sir!"
"A club? Dancing? Saturday! Goodness, what kind of luck am I having today?"
The Captain mumbled, then looked at the young man, who seemed to be about twenty.
"Sorry, but your excuse is pretty weak. I know there are lots of scammers out there, but your story really doesn't hold up. There's no such club—"
Before he could finish, the young man interrupted.
"Sir, I'm not lying. There really is such a club. It's at 177A Bleecker Street, the Stork Club. You have to believe me, sir!"
The young man handed the Captain a business card for the club as he spoke.
The words "Stork Club" struck the Captain like lightning.
"Stork Club?"
The Captain examined the card, which had only an address and the club's name. Turning it over, he found a line written on the back:
"Stork Club: Find the time you thought you'd lost."
When he looked up again, the young man had vanished.
The Captain stood there on the street, stunned.
This…
This sudden encounter made him realize something was definitely strange.
Taking out his phone, he searched the address. It showed that the location was an old antique furniture shop.
"I must be…"
His first thought was to throw the card away, but the words on it seemed to hold a strange power, drawing his eyes back to them.
"Alright! I'll just go check it out. If it's some kind of scam, well, maybe I'll end up doing a good deed on my birthday."
With that in mind, the Captain went straight to the location at the New York Sanctum.
The building looked just like the antique furniture store he'd seen online, with a vintage style.
He noticed lights on inside, but from outside, he couldn't see anything clearly.
The Captain steadied himself, reached out, and pushed open the door!
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