Heist Gone Bad

Written September 3, 1999

"Can anyone see me?"
"Of course they can see you, George. You're on a public street." But the gentleman did move closer in front of George so not everyone would see.
"I just keep thinking what if ma could see me now!"
"What's Ma got to do with this? It was all your idea!!"
"Ya, but it shouldn't have turned out this way. I mean, do you remember the way we planned it? After I entered the bank, it all turned sour."

The bank was almost deserted. It was midweek and only 10 a.m. The odd-looking young lady took her place in line behind the young mother and daughter. She took notice of the guard asleep at the door and took count of the two tellers behind the counter. She assumed there was a manager in the back office.
The tellers finally concluded their discussion over the last customer's transaction and called for the next in line. The young mother stepped to the right while the odd-looking young lady stepped to the right. No one gave a second glance at the gentleman who entered.
The odd-looking young lady placed a ten dollar bill on the counter and asked for change. When the teller had opened the drawer and looked back up, she found the lady leaning far over the counter with what looked like a gun pointing out of her coat pocket.
"Give me all your money and keep it quiet," she demanded in a husky voice.
What the odd-looking young lady didn't see was that the young mother's daughter had been sitting on the counter and now had tottled over to her. Before the teller could hand over any money, the baby yanked off the "lady's" wig.
The young mother exhaled a loud gasp. One teller stifled a giggle while the other full out laughed. The security guard, now awoken, even had to chuckle.
George didn't know what to do. What he did know was that he still didn't have his money and the security guard would soon know what he was up to. He pulled up the collar of the long jacket and tried to hide his face as he made his escape. He exited the bank, turned the corner onto a side street and waited for his partner.
The partner rushed around the corner a minute later with bad news.
"We'll need to stay away from the car out front until the police have taken their report."
"That's fine," George said. "Can anyone see me?"