It may have been luck, it may have been a divine force, it could have been the monkey with the clattering cymbals in the empty cavity of his head but he dropped the gun. When it struck the ground a shot rang out in the street. The man lets go and I drop to my knees, stunned, panting and thanking everything I could think of. The man just stood, his hands trembling and then there was a bright light from behind him. My head turns ever so slowly to see a man in uniform, his gun pressing against the bald man’s back. That rules out the clattering monkey.
“Freeze, put your hands in the air where I can see them.” He said in the demanding voice, the fat man taking orders. I finally turn my head all the way around to see the cop’s partner standing with his gun aimed on the drunkard, using the car’s driver door as added protection. The headlights of the car blinding anyone who stared into them, with the blue and red lights flashing without the siren.
   I sit there, waiting for one of them to help me to my feet and allow me to stagger to a safe destination. I want them to give me all the attention a traumatized boy should get, and baby me. I feel that weak and vulnerable at this moment, the sense I didn’t have is filling my head. I watch them with my mouth open; take the fat, bald, drunkard away to where he belongs. The two strapping young cops come to my aid. Me, I’m there looking up at them like a dumb turkey looking up into the raining sky and drowning. Water, eye juice, is running down my cheeks, as I’m so grateful my life was saved. They raise me up, and tell me all the things a victim wants to hear and I babble my thanks, my information so when we have to go to court to put the gunner behind bars for years. I mumble more of my appreciation as they tell me to go home and get rest.
   The cops take evidence before leaving me completely to walk home alone. I stroll wearily down the dark street again, not confident anymore. I realize I’m a small piece of the world that isn’t worth much in the scheme of things but to loose my life at the age of seventeen would be a waste of something.


                                                          THE END