Panic Attack

Again Joh

The girls talked it over for a few moments while Joh

“You too, hope to meet you again sometime,” Joh

Do

And he didn’t waste any time. After he said something fu

A few minutes later, they were in the cab. He was a total gentleman- kissing her, of course, but not trying to get in her panties or anything like that. The cab ride to Astoria might cost him about thirty- five, forty bucks, and he hoped that it was worth his while, that he wasn’t wasting a whole night with this woman. During the cab ride she said everything he expected her to say. I don’t usually do this. Are you sure we’re doing the right thing? Maybe we should wait.

Playing the game, he kept saying things like “Hey, if you don’t feel comfortable,

I can go home.” Giving her every opportunity to back out of it. Yeah, right. In Astoria, he was disappointed when they pulled up in front of a modest twofamily house. He was hoping she lived in one of the new yuppie condos they’d put up out there; it would’ve been an indication that this was going to be worthwhile. Still, he was trying to be optimistic, not acting in any way disappointed. As soon as they entered her apartment, he switched on his passion button and began to give her the full Joh

He asked her if she had candles and incense, knowing that women always loved that crap. She said she didn’t have incense but had candles and went to get them. She returned to bed, the candles lit, and Joh

Joh

He got her off four times, and he knew there was no chance she was faking.

No one could fake orgasms with him because he knew, he always knew. Afterward, he held her in his arms and gently stroked her hair and kissed her ear, gently sucking on her lobe for a while.

Later, when she finally fell asleep, he got out of bed, dressed silently, and got to work robbing her apartment.

He started with her purse, scoring $237- not bad at all for purse money; it more than covered the cab ride, so already the night was a success. He easily found her jewelry box in the top drawer of her dresser and took everything, noticing a couple of necklaces, both sterling, and rings that he thought would get him several hundred dollars for their gold value alone. With a little luck this would turn out to be a great score, and he knew that as long as he got away cleanly, he had almost no chance of getting caught. Theresa had no real information about him, and she probably wouldn’t even report the crime to the police. Joh

He was about to leave the bedroom when he noticed, on the night table, the gold crucifix Theresa had been wearing at the bar. He snatched it and, on his way out, smiled, thinking how he’d have to go to church later and confess. He was still giggling about that one as he left the building and headed toward the subway station.

eight

“Joh

For a moment he worried it was a cop. Just in case, he started reaching into the pocket of his jacket where he had a Kel- Tec.380.

But then he looked over his shoulder and actually had to blink, doing a double take.

“Carlos?” he asked.

He hadn’t seen Carlos Sanchez, his old friend from St. John’s, in how long? Eight, nine years? Nine years, but Carlos looked like he’d aged twenty. He was only four or five years older than Joh

Carlos came over and gave Joh

“It’s been a long time, bro,” Carlos said, finally letting go. “Been a long, long time. The hell you doin’ ’round here?”

“I should be asking you that question,” Joh

“Naw, man, that’s ancient history,” Carlos said. “Got out six months ago, and I’m livin’ here now, bro. Well, not here, here, I mean Queens, Bayside. I’m just here in Astoria on some business, know what I’m sayin’?”

Joh

“Where you living now?” Carlos asked.

“Still in Brooklyn,” Joh

“Yeah, how you gettin’ by?”

“I’m doing okay.”