[The Cigarette And The Side Table – A Short Story]
I was turning under my sheets when a loud bang came from the door…Bang bang!!!….I jumped up, running towards the closet, no other reason than to grab my shot gun, then again if we all processed information like that we would have no need for Albert Einstein, it was on the way there that I remembered I had man’s invention for protection there, the gun, the closet, well that one could be argued.
AS I headed into the living room ,the moon light lite the entire room bright, everything seemed in place, listening attentively ,the banging stopped, checking the door the bolts were well in place ,I guess age had my senses downhill on a wheel chair, I sat on the sofa, after drawing out my conclusion. Resting the gun on the side table I flicked on the lamp light, lite a cigarette, absorbing the tranquility of a four o’ clock morning… Adding to the cold weather ,it had started raining, the cigar lasted for a while ,if only the bud was worth a smoke.
Bit By bit the quietness consumed me ,I dosed off until I ,…well, until the slaps were over bearing , I opened my eyes to see a fellow with a mask on infront of me … “shh..old guy, don’t get a heart attack on me”, he said ,looking across to the side table, the shot gun was gone , ‘looking for this’, from behind him the fellow lifted the shot gun, damn! I thought to myself, I was in deep trouble ,he left me and started to search the side table, or rather continue his search, looking at me he said “You know you snore really loud, not surprised, all old guys do.” Gazing into the eyes of what appeared to be Gorilla/dog like creature, or whatever these young people buy now a days for Halloween . “ So where’s the money?,uhh!!”,he came back to me, bending over, staring into my eyes ,he grabbed my shirt and slightly jerked me. Digging up courage, I said “it’sss right in the first drawer ,t-there”. Tilting his head slightly he bellowed ‘that’s all the money you have?” .
Scanning the room he decided he had gotten the better part of me, he turned and was heading for the door, then suddenly he spun around ,saying “oh.. I almost forgot, this is for you”, opening my packet of cigarettes ,he handed me one, then resumed his escape.
It took a while to sink in, the incident, and the lunatic, I piped through the broken window ,seeing the fellow two blocks off and still running, after a while it got boring, I sat on the sofa ,grabbing the cigar my robber so generously donated ,I lite the donation ,counting my lucky stars, at least I had one cigarette ,among the ruins.
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