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The Midtown Mall corridor was sparsely populated on this evening
as the petite in stature Virginia stepped out of the small boutique. With her bluish silver bouffant hairdo, she looked like
she had just come from the salon. Silver rimmed eyeglasses hung from the matching chain around her neck which also matched
the silver broach pinned to her tan sweater. Brown polyester slacks, taupe nurse’s shoes and a small taupe handbag completed
her outfit and she was proud.
*****
Harley stood leaning at the end of a long row of soda machines. Sipping
leisurely from a can of Dr. Pepper, he studied the old woman. He knew that the eyesight of a woman her age would be failing.
He also knew that the bright lights of the machines would obscure his own dark image. By the time she could focus on something
she thought she saw in her peripheral vision, he could easily disappear.
He preyed on the innocent and was good at
it. Taking a last swallow of soda, he set it on the ledge behind him. Pushing himself off the wall, he focused his sights
on his target as she walked slowly towards the exit and absent-mindedly searched for her keys. He approached swiftly from
behind, passed along her side and with one hand, grabbed her handbag. His strategy was to snatch the purse and run quickly
out the exit door, disappearing into the night. It was a fool proof plan that worked for him every time in every mall in town.
But
this time, as soon as he tightened his grip on the purse, he felt a sharp pain right under his rib cage as Virginia’s tiny
elbow found its mark. The pain bent him forward. That was all Virginia needed. She knew that once off balance, his strength
was half lost and the advantage would be hers. Without wasting time, her body became a blur of force as she delivered a spinning
side snap-kick into the back of his knee, sending him sprawling flat on his back, knocking the wind out of him.
Harley
lay there, gasping for air. By the time he regained his composure, Virginia was nowhere to be found. In his hand, though,
he held the small taupe purse. Pleased with himself, he struggled to his feet.
“Can I help you with that?” A voice
said from behind. Turning his head and noticing the mall security guard, Harley immediately started to bolt away.
The
man quickly took hold of Harley’s arm. “Hold on there,” he said as he tightened his grip. “Looks like someone almost got away
with your purse. You’ll wanna file a report.” He guided Harley into the security office on opposite end of the mall. He led
him to a chair, gave him a slight shove and commanded him to sit.
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*****
Virginia moved quickly out the rear exit door and
then slipped behind the dumpster she had checked out earlier that day. She reached beneath it and pulled out a black duffel
bag.
First she removed the wig and shoes, placed them in the bag, and then slid off the loosely fitted slacks and
sweater, revealing a well-built brunette woman in snug jeans and a black tank top. She stepped into a pair of pumps, fluffed
her hair and threw the duffle bag over her shoulder, taking on the look of a woman just casually leaving her yoga class. She
unlocked her car, hopped in and drove off.
*****
“What do we have here, Mitchell?” the woman behind the desk
asked.
“Well Denise, looks like a case of strong-arm robbery.”
He turned to Harley. “Tell me what happened,
son,” he said with mock sympathy as he gently took the purse from Harley. “We’ll need this for evidence.”
“I aint your
son and it aint my pur…” Harley started indignantly. His tone then changed. “I dunno know what happened. I was just walking
along minding my own business when that old lady started whacking on me with that purse.”
“Well, let’s take a look,
see if we can determine who the mean old lady is.” The officer opened the clasp and peered inside. “Nothing in here but this
piece of paper.” He unfolded it and immediately began to chuckle. In bold hand printing, the words “GET A JOB” were written.
“Here you go, this is for you.” He tossed it at Harley.
Harley picked it up, read it and disgustingly threw it down
on the desk.
“Denise, would you please get Detective Schmidt on the phone? Surely, this young man will want to file
a complaint.”
“No, I don’t.” Harley stood up to leave. “I’m alright.”
The officer walked over, placed his hand
behind Harley’s neck and gave him a firm little squeeze. “Well, I’ll escort you out, then. You never know who might be lurking
around the corner…” He gave Harley a sharp slap behind the head. “…just waiting to attack.”
Harley could say nothing.
The two men walked together toward the mall exit.
“I don’t know why, but I’m reminded of something that happened at
a parking garage over on the east side.” The officer shakes his head. “Security knew they had the perpetrator right in their
hands, but had nothing to pin it on him.” He paused. “Funny thing happened though? Off duty, one of the security guys followed
the son-of-a-tramp day and night for weeks. Scared the guy witless. Finally one night, the officer followed him down a dark
alley and beat the living crap out of him. Aint that a hoot? I think the perp was actually relieved to get it over with.”
He laughed, slapped Harley on the back, gave him a little shove and left him on his way.
As Harley pushed through the
door, Mitchell yelled back at him, “Careful now, ya’ hear?”
Darkness had fallen over the Midtown Mall parking lot.
The rows of street lamps helped some but it seemed to Harley that they really only created darker areas in which to hide.
He stepped off of the sidewalk and nonchalantly scanned the vicinity. He watched for movement, shadows and suspicious looking
old ladies. He listened for shuffling, whispering or approaching footsteps. Before entering his car, he carefully checked
the back seat, did a full-body turn, dove into the front seat and locked the door.
*****
Denton Lantee had
drifted off while waiting for the nightly news. Hearing the crunching of tires on the gravel driveway, he opened his eyes
to look at the clock on the living room wall. It read just past eleven. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Virginia was
home. She entered the house and threw down the duffel bag with a thud, a sound all too familiar to Denton. He wondered when
she will get over this crusade of hers. It seemed she has gone off the deep end since her mother had her arm broken by a purse
snatcher.
Walking into the room, Virginia sat on the edge of the sofa to remove her shoes.
“Well,” Denton asked,
“Did you catch one?”
“Yep,” she said proudly. “Got him good, too. Big fellow though. I think I pulled a muscle slightly.”
She rubs her right side.
“Well darn it Ginny, you’re fifty-two years old. When are you going to give this up? I worry
about you.”
“I don’t know,” she answered, “but it seems to me if everyone worked together there’d be no one taking
advantage of the elderly or children. When the day comes they can leisurely, safely stroll down the street, I’ll stop. I can’t
stand the thought of bullies taking advantage of weaker, innocent people.”
“You’re…” Denton started.
Virginia
had one more comment. “And Mom’s arm is still giving her trouble. All for the lousy fourteen dollars in her purse that day.”
“Yes,
but Ginny, you’re just one person.” Denton sat up and looked Virginia in the eyes. “Now I want you to promise me you’ll stop
this.”
She said nothing.
“Well at least slow down some. At first it was just around here but now you’re going
clear into another city, gone for hours at a time.”
“Well, I can’t very well go back to the same locations, they’re
probably watching for me just as much as the dang purse snatchers.”
“Which brings me back to my point…”
“What
was your point, Denny?” she asked as if she never heard a word he said.
Shaking his head, he picked up the remote and
turned off the television. “Coming to bed?” He stood up and stretched. “So what’s your plans for tomorrow?”
“Well,
first stop is the Goodwill. I’m running out of purses,” she giggled as she turned off the lamp.
That night, they both
drifted off to sleep with smiles on their faces. His, because she was finally home safely in his arms. Hers, because she is
Virginia Lantee. The purse snatcher had met his match.
The End
“Nah ah,” Virginia
Lantee countered.
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