Bump Bump Bump (Point)

I have a paper due tomorrow. The computer�s acting up. I have to go to Bizmo�s to finish up. It�s dark outside, about ten-thirty. My husband is asleep.

I pack everything I need into a tote bag. I don�t juggle things on the street anymore�I want a quick in and out, especially at night.

Downstairs, I open the door to the entrance hallway. I don�t turn on the light to walk the long hall. I open the wooden door first, but leave the metal one locked. I scan for trouble automatically now. It�s not a wide-angle view, but you can also hear people.

I slip into my husband�s huge car with power everything. I lock up after myself and take the club off the car. The dome light stays on, longer than usual, I don�t know why.

There�s two of them. One�s knocking on the window, pointing at the lock.

bump bump bump (point)
That�s why the dome light is on: they�ve pressed the handle, trying to get in. Both of them have guns. Both guns are pointed at me. (I start screaming no, no, no)

both of them are young-they look fourteen-that doesn�t matter-young people have less impulse control -they will shoot-both of them are short-just a little taller than the car-the one behind is shorter and stockier than the one in front-both have Afros-the one in front has a longer one, unkempt-he is light brown-his gun is really tiny-almost like a toy-that doesn�t matter-Mom has one that fits onto a belt buckle-it�s still real-this one�s real too

bump, bump, bump (point) 
they have point-blank range for a head shot-my keys aren�t in the ignition-I can�t drive off

I move to the passenger side.

they still can�t miss but maybe they will-this screaming is worthless nobody can hear me outside the car-if I get out then people will hear me-no, I�m not getting out-they�ll shoot me on the street or take me with them and I don't want to go

They run off. They don�t shoot. (I stop screaming no, no, no)

Nowadays, I think I was their first try, and they weren�t ready to kill anybody for a car yet. Of course I have no way of knowing for sure.

I open the passenger door. My purse spills into the muddy gutter in front of my house, spilling everything.

roaches down there and broken glass that you can�t see in the dark-if you lock the car your keys will be inside but there�s another set upstairs

I fall out and grab the billfold, throwing it into the car at the same moment, slam the car door shut. I scream at the top of my lungs, where at last someone can hear me, as I jump up.

this is my neighborhood I don�t know them they�re not from here they don�t belong here

I take off in screaming pursuit across the park. And I almost catch up, but I don�t want to: they still have the guns. They pile into the back of a car on the next street over. It peels off. Now I am chasing the car until they turn right onto News Street. I don�t get the fucking license plate number. I�m furious.

I march back across the park. The window slowly goes up on the second floor.

�Hello,� my husband calls out. �Is something wrong out there?�

I�m standing in the street, legs apart, fists on my hip. Gary Cooper is nothing compared to me. I don�t even need a six-shooter to take it on. Adrenaline is great stuff. If you know what you're doing.

I give useless descriptions of the perpetrators, escape vehicle, and guns to the RiverTown police officer who takes my complaint. She keeps a poker face through the whole thing. Maybe every once in awhile her mouth twitches closed a little harder.

�So then I chased the car,� I tell her.
�Do you know what kind of car it was?�
�No, a sedan. American. Four-door. Not new. Ah, maybe light brown, but there�s not much light over there. And I didn�t get the plate, I�m sorry. I did try, but I couldn�t keep up.�

She nods and makes another notation on her clipboard�probably a big fat zero.

�So, I guess that more or less completes my story of one stupid move after the next. They headed downtown.�
�Hmm-hmm-mmm.� That�s a sound that covers a wealth of possible statements. �Not everything you did was stupid. You did one thing right.�

Even though I knew better, I had hoped it was more than one.
�What was that?�
�You didn�t unlock the car when they wanted you to,� she says. �Go inside now. I�ll make sure you�re all in before I go. Thanks for giving us a call.�

So: I was thinking fast--bump bump bumped up to hyperdrive--but not getting to the (point). I resolved to do better next time.
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