Samson (Chapter One, Part Four)

        As the travelers made their way to customs, Samson made his way alongside the beautiful woman. Usually after watching a woman several minutes, Samson had a pretty good feel for her and for what tactics would work best to woe her off her feet, but strangely, this one perplexed him. What he did know was he wanted to see her again, a want that felt very much like a need. Crossing his fingers in hope, Samson asked, "So, are you headed to the islands?" Looking startled, she replied a little too quickly, "Forgive me for sounding rude, but I don't think it would be appropriate, or safe, to disclose my travel plans with a complete stranger."
        Unfazed, he replied, "Well, forgive me if I sound rude, but, might I give you a piece of advice? You should do yourself a favor, and put the Fodor's Gold Guide to Venice in your suitcase instead of out where any passerby can see it. I was merely being polite by asking." Thankfully his charm appeared to say more to her than his words, as her facial expression softened, she allowed a half-smile and said, "Well, then, I guess I've already disclosed at least a portion of my travel plans, haven't I? I certainly wouldn't want to go any further."
        Samson made a practice of carrying several of Gina's tour-group cards with him every year for this very reason. He had only used them once, on Blondie and her Pi Phi sorority sisters. After that, every time he touched the cards he sighed remembering Gina's words "it was the last view of the free world the convicts would see before being taken to their cells". This time, however, the thought was quickly replaced by a strong desire to have the chance to see this mysterious beauty again. She didn't fit his usual target by any means, that would have been the gorgeous long-legged blond standing in front of her in the line for customs. Not that he didn't consider his chances much better with the blond one, especially considering the wink and nod she had just given him, he just couldn't take his eyes off the one playing hard to get. There was something so magnetic about her he felt compelled to get past the "Bridge of Sighs" hex that had been on those business cards.
        Fumbling through the contents of his pocket, he timidly offered her a card with the suggestion that the tour leaving in just three hours was by far the best. Although she took the card and thanked him, she stiffened again and eyed him skeptically. He guessed she probably thought it to be a scam so he quickly explained that this was an annual trek for him; out of all the tours he had been on, Gina's were the most interesting. He didn't bother to tell her Gina's tours where the only ones he'd tried, after all, he was certain they actually were the best, even without first hand knowledge of the others. The woman looked puzzled and held up the card Samson had just given her which turned out to be a Christian Tract someone had thrust in his hand at the New York airport. The bold faced caption read, "Are You Going To Hell?"