Lucas hadn’t slept much. His mind was still buzzing from the night before—inflation and Spanish gold, that line about what happens when money is easy to make. He wasn’t sure what he expected from this walk, but something told him to show up.

Scene 4: Knives, Cars, and Money

The next morning, the river trail was cool and quiet, lined with fog and the faint smell of wet pine. Lucas spotted Thomas waiting on a bench near the water, two coffees in hand.

“Black,” Thomas said, handing him one. “No cream. I guessed.”

Lucas nodded. “Good guess.”

They started walking. Gravel crunched underfoot. The morning light filtered through the trees.

Thomas broke the silence.

“Can you tell me what a knife is?”

Lucas looked over. “A knife?”

Thomas nodded. “Yeah. What is it?”

“I mean… it’s a knife. It cuts things.”

“Right,” Thomas said. “But more precisely?”

Lucas squinted. “Okay… it’s a sharp blade with a handle. A utensil. Or a weapon, depending.”

Thomas smiled. “Those are descriptions. But what’s it for?”

Lucas paused. “I’m not sure where you’re going with this.”

“A knife is a tool we use to separate things. That’s what defines it.”

Lucas took a sip of coffee. “Alright… I see.”

“Do you?” Thomas asked. “What about a car?”

Lucas furrowed his brow. “That one’s easy. A car is... well, it’s a vehicle. With wheels. An engine. You use it to get around.”

Thomas gave him the same look.

Lucas exhaled. “I’m doing it again, huh?”

Thomas nodded. “Describing how it looks—not what it does.”

Lucas chuckled. “Okay. Enlighten me.”

“A car is a tool we use to move people and things through space. That’s its job.”

Lucas smirked. “So, you’re a philosopher?”

Thomas grinned. “Just trying to see clearly.”

They passed an older couple in matching windbreakers, a golden retriever trotting between them.

Then Thomas said, “Alright. So—what is money?”

Lucas stopped mid-step.

“Money?”

Thomas nodded again. “If a knife is a tool for separating, and a car is a tool for moving… then what’s money for?”

Lucas opened his mouth. Closed it.

“I… think I know,” he said. “But I want to get it right.”

Thomas nodded. “Take your time. The answer might be more surprising than you think.”