Victim

PART ONE

Grimy skin, unpleasant wrinkles around the eyes, and a slight smell emanating from his clothes made Jimmy a person to avoid. He loitered in the alley connecting Madison Street and Tenth Avenue. Sometimes the moon, or passing car lights, revealed the mangled clumps of pavement, the ever changing garbage strewn from end to end, or broken bricks that merged the walls and the alley floor.

In his alley you might stumble as you hurried to get through. You’d jump at the rat that hurried across your shoe. Then, Jimmy would suddenly become visible, demanding his toll.

His meals were from soup kitchens, days spent in a few grimy bars. He’d scan the streets for anything of value he could pawn, panhandled for change, or lifted a wallet. Nights were reserved for mugging. Some doorways provided a haven for sleeping. Once in a while he’d spend the night in the city jail after a bender.

If you were close enough, anxiety twisted his features if he tried to remember his brother and sister. That expression changed to anger if he thought of his parents.

This particular night, big, heavy raindrops bounced off every surface in the alley. Most people stayed on the main streets, and under cover where possible.

After some time, a sucker appeared. The man’s mud colored raincoat hung high and loose, blending into an attached hood. The hood was devoid of features, but slender, marble-colored hands protruded from the sleeves. The shoes were soaked, the cuffs of his pants wicking the moisture upwards. Jimmy’s features and figure separated from the walls. A gravelly, menacing voice threatened, “Got any change, mister?” Next would come the assault, followed by the victim running away in a panic.

Calmly, deliberately, the stranger stopped, turned and waited for some very long seconds...

Jimmy stopped moving. His mouth hung open and his eyes lost their focus. Later, his recollections were that the raindrops slowed, then stopped. Unhurried, the man dropped his hood. A strong yellow light revealed angular features. His expression drew one in. Jimmy stared, having forgotten all about any grand plans for parting the stranger from his money.

The stranger’s voice boomed, “Is that what you need, Jimmy? Something to spare?” It didn’t register how curious it was that the man was using Jimmy’s name. After awhile, Jimmy said, “I need money... to live.” The glowing countenance produced a wad of bills and offered them. It was more money than all of Jimmy’s efforts had ever produced.

“What will you do with this new found wealth, friend? How about sharing it with others? And finding a room somewhere you might sleep safely?”

Agreeably, Jimmy went along with everything the stranger was saying. He took the money, stuffed it in a pocket and strolled out of the alley.

The desk clerk placed a hand on the .45 pistol under the counter as Jimmy crossed the lobby. After a wrinkled fifty appeared on the counter, a key landed in Jimmy’s hand and accompanied him up the stairs to his room. The next thing he knew, the sun was entering the windows as his eyelids rolled up. He had some clean clothes stashed in an old gym bag he dragged around. The bathroom down the hall filled with steaming hot water, fogging the mirrors and the windows. Wrinkled clothes hung on Jimmy’s body like a scarecrow. A rumbling stomach sounded some low notes. Having found the enormous pile of cash in his pockets, the stairs creaked as he headed downstairs and towards a substantial meal.

The shining glass and chrome doors of the Madison Cafe stood out in this run down neighborhood. Now these doors burst open as Jimmy entered. Proceeding somewhat grandly given his recent windfall, a cozy, leather-clad booth by the windows seemed like just the spot.

Gino, the manager, hustled over to invite him to a more remote part of the diner. “Oh, no, my good man, I’ve got cash and I’m ordering a meal of substance today!”

Gino replied, “Well, excuse the hell out of me, Jimmy!” He sent Mary to deal with this unexpected turn of events.

“Wadda ya want, big spender?“, Mary inquired.

“Well, let’s see... how about two eggs, over easy, six pieces of bacon, rye toast with lots of butter, coffee, and a lovely short stack, no make that a FULL stack of pancakes. With more butter and maple syrup!”

Mary produced a scowl at this obvious bullshit. Her skeptical reply was short and to the point, “Ok. Let’s see the cash.”

Jimmy pulled out a couple of twenties placed them gently, face up and in the same orientation, on the formica-clad table. “Will that do, my dear?”

Without a word, Mary turned and hustled off to the kitchen to place Jimmy’s order.

PART TWO

A bulging belly and contented smile later, Jimmy was enjoying the safety and quiet of his newly acquired hotel room. He mused over his would-be victim’s willingness to hand over all that cash. Why would he do that? In fact, who would do that? What kind of moron would willingly part with so much money, unless they were being threatened with whatever bodily harm Jimmy could offer? Whay not hand him a twenty and run away? In all his recent memories, there’d never been a single moment where even a penny left his own raggedy pockets unless it was under some kind of threat.

And... what was with that eerie glow that emanated from the stranger’s face? Why was he so calm? It was if they were just having a conversation about any old subject, not in the middle of a robbery. Recalling more details, Jimmy suddenly realized that the man had asked him to share the money with others who might need it. Suddenly, and for the first time, maybe ever, that seemed perfectly reasonable. Pounding down the stairs - again - he headed for the street. Jimmy literally ran into his buddy Vince, nearly knocking him off his feet. “Hey, asshole, watch it!” Vince yelled, before seeing who it was.

Helping Vince to his feet, Jimmy replied, smiling, “Hey knucklenuts, you watch it!”

“Jesus, Jimmy how are you?”

“Couldn’t be better, ole’ buddy, and I’ve got something for ya!” Jimmy then handed Vince nearly $100 in tens and twenties. Vi-nce’s eyes bugged out as he absorbed the sight of this windfall. “What the hell, Jim? D’ja rob a bank or something?”

“No way, Jose! I was mugging this guy last night, in my very own alley, and he just handed me this wad of cash! I slept last night in a hotel bed, and had the biggest breakfast this morning that you or I have seen in quite a while! Whaddya think about that?”

Vince was already calculating how he could part Jimmy with the remainder of this loot. Jimmy recognized that particular expression and took a quick step away from him. In just a few seconds, their relationship reverted to its previous incarnation.

Jimmy moved on down the street. He’d already decided to hang on to the rest of his cash.

PART THREE

A couple of nights passed without any other strange incidents. Watching a TV through a pawnshop window, the cute local weathergirl predicted clear, sunnky skies for the next week. Jimmy had complete faith in these kinds of statements. He didn’t believe in much otherwise. But the news, the weather, the sports...that he could rely on. So it was a real shock when night fell on his favorite alley and the rain started pouring down.

Jimmy was again monitoring activity. The same mud colored raincoat appeared, proceeding calmly through the alley. Again? The same chump, twice? Sticking to his routine, Jimmy appeared in order to hustle what he could from his best customer.

Instantly, the warmest golden glow filled the alley. The rain stopped, freezing the moment. Enormous, parchment colored wings unfolded... a lean human face became a visage that Jimmy could barely comprehend, like a color you’d never seen before. Hearing, or feeling, a few words uttered in some incomprehensible tongue forever engraved on his mind...he felt his hands lengthen and become a pale white...

Vince saw a stranger coming from Jimmy’s alley. The man handed him a wad of cash, some ancient appearing gold coins, and who grasped his forearm as though they were childhood friends. “Vince! Help yourself; help others; and I’ll see you again.”

“Who the fuck are you, buddy? How do you know me?”

“Just do a little good, Vince. Will you do that for me?”

Just like that the stranger was moving around the corner onto Madison and was gone.

Vince just stood there, lost in some entirely new thoughts. No one passing by noticed that he was hovering a few inches off the pavement.