I’d never really been to the south side of the city before. It’s not that I had a beef with the area like some people; I’d just never considered the possibility. You could feel a change as you crossed into the outer suburbs. It wasn’t an atmosphere of danger; it was simply different. I made my way down the main drag and turned into a parking lot. I brought the old beat-up Ford to a halt alongside a silver Subaru. I’d parked far too close to the neighbouring car, but I hadn’t been left with a lot of room. I leapt from my vehicle and headed towards the shopping district. I could feel people glaring at me as I wandered aimlessly through the streets; they could tell I wasn’t from the south. I ducked into a little restaurant to escape their stares. I fell down into a vacant chair and waited for the young waitress. She took my order and returned to the table with a bottle of beer. Something wasn’t right; I just couldn't pinpoint exactly what. I needed to put my mind at ease; I reached for the bottle, my hand dwarfing the familiar label, and took a pull. Even that felt strange. The waitress promptly delivered my meal. It was surprisingly enjoyable, but for some reason it didn’t quite satisfy. Rather than add a desert to the bill I signalled for the account. This place was too weird. The young employee returned with my change and offered her gratitude. I took a single note from the tray, leaving a generous share of the loot. I placed the paper currency alongside the other five-dollar note in my wallet. The new addition looked slightly smaller. I pulled them out for a closer inspection. The difference was small but unmistakable. For the fifteenth time I scanned my direct surroundings – everything thing was about nine-tenths of the size.