Tag Archives: kidnapping

COG IN THE WHEEL

I opened my eyes one at a time. It was painful. It felt as if my eyelids had been glued shut. My head was pounding painfully with each beat of my heart. I gingerly raised my head to get a better look around. I could only see the dark and dreary sky above me. And the smell, dear god, was overwhelming. I tried to sit up, but it felt like my arms were paralyzed. I shifted my body from side to side.

I struggled to sit up. I contemplated what events might have brought me to my present predicament. I couldn’t remember what happened to me. I wondered if I had been drugged. Had I been kidnapped? Why would anyone kidnap me and stick me in this hole? I didn’t have any enemies that I was aware of. I worked as an accountant in a corporate office. I was just another cog in the wheel of a corporation. In this case, Big Pharma.

And that is when it came to me. One of the corporate Vice Presidents tried to blackmail me into giving him information in advance about when a certain new drug would be put on the market for sale. In other words, insider trading. And we all know what happened to Martha Stewart. She spent five months in prison and five months under house arrest. And she was rich and famous. You know, I would spend the rest of my life behind bars. Why? Because I’m a nobody. No one who matters knows or cares about me or would miss me.

I had lived a life of relative anonymity. I never even got a parking or speeding ticket. I was approached several times and offered financial incentives to give them the information they wanted. And then I was threatened. In fact, I was harassed by threatening phone calls and anonymous phone calls. At all times of the night and day. The last thing that happened was that I received a call late at night. The phone kept ringing and ringing. For some reason, the voicemail didn’t pick up the call. I stumbled out of bed to phone. I grabbed the phone and said, “who the hell is this? You better stop harassing me, or I’m going to report this to the police and to the President of the company. Do you understand? Stop contacting me. And then I slammed the phone down as hard as I could. I was surprised that I didn’t break the phone.

The phone rang again just as I was getting back into my bed. I answered the phone, and I heard a low, raspy voice say,” this is your last chance. If you don’t give me the information I need, you are going to find yourself in a deep, dark hole. Do you understand?”

I slammed the phone down again and again. And that’s the last thing I remember until I woke up wedged into what felt like a shallow grave. Luckily, they didn’t put dirt on top of me, or I wouldn’t be alive at this moment. They must have gotten scared away or, something worse, killed.

I managed to get my right arm out of the hole. So, I moved my body in that direction ever so slowly. I got my left arm out. And then I sat up. I was stiff as a board. I wondered how long I had been in the hole and why they hadn’t finished the job of burying me alive or just killing me.

And just as I was about to attempt to crawl out of the hole, I heard two men’s voices moving toward my location. I didn’t think I had enough time to scramble out of the hole. On the other hand, if I didn’t get out of the grave, I never would because they were going to finish the job. So, I used every ounce of my remaining strength to pull myself out of the hole. And I stood up and ran like the devil himself was running directly behind my footsteps and I feel his foul breath on the back of my neck.

My adrenaline was high because I knew I was running for my life. My heart was pounding like a snare drum. I took off through the woods. I had no idea where I was or where I was going. I wondered if these would be the last moments of my life. I thought about my wife and my kids. And how my death would affect them. And that thought propelled me forward. It was as if I had the wings of Hermes on my feet. Hermes was considered to be the herald of the gods. He was worshiped because it was believed that he was the protector of humans. And if anyone needed protection in this time, it was me.

I heard what sounded like a river ahead of me, so that was the direction that I headed. I could see that there was a fast-moving stream in front of me. It was lit by a full moon high in the sky. I took this as a good sign. Luckily, my kidnappers didn’t take my shoes off of my feet, or I wouldn’t have been able to cross the stream. Because there were large and small rocks lining the stream. I would have to be careful crossing it, or I could be carried away or pulled under by the current. I was not in the best of shape, nor was I a strong swimmer. I am not a religious person, but I knew that something or someone was giving me the strength and the courage to fight for my very life. And I wasn’t about to give up as long as I had a breath left in my body.

I made it to the other side of the river, and there was a thick stand of trees. It would be difficult for my kidnappers to see me. But, it would also be difficult, if not impossible for me to find my way through the forest without great difficulty. I decided to pick up a branch that was lying on the ground in front of me and swing it back in forth in front of me and warn me of any upcoming hazards in my path.

I saw a light in the distance. I couldn’t imagine what it was. And then the thought occurred to me that maybe it was campers sitting by the firelight. I took a deep breath and ran like my life depended upon it. As I got closer, I saw the silhouette of what appeared to be two men, and I could hear them talking quietly to one another. I decided to move towards them slowly. I didn’t want to startle them. Because they might think it was an animal approaching and would shoot me. So, I carefully made my way toward them.

When I got within earshot of them, I called out, “hello, hello, I need help. hello.“ One of the men must have seen me in the moonlight. And he said, “we have guns, don’t try anything funny. Or it will be the last thing you do. I said, “I don’t have any weapons. I put my hands up in the air and approached their camp.

One of the campers was a large, burly-looking man who looked like he could crush me with one hand and said, “who are you, and what are you doing running through the woods in the dark? Are you trying to kill yourself or something? I stood before him, trying to catch my breath.” I‘m being chased by two men who kidnapped me. They are trying to get information from me because I work for a pharmaceutical company and have information that could make them a lot of money.”

“OK, buddy, that’s too far-fetched an idea for you to make up. Sit down, and catch your breath.“ He handed me a cup with water in it. I gulped it down. I felt like I hadn’t had a drink in a week. My throat was so dry. When I finally caught my breath, I said, ” these two guys are chasing me. They’re going to be here any minute. No doubt they have weapons.”

“OK, well, we both have guns, so don’t worry. But I think we can convince them that we haven’t seen you and get them to leave. Go in the tent and hide behind our equipment. Don’t come out until we tell you to.”

So, I pushed the tent flap open and went to the very back, and hid behind a cot that had blankets hanging down both sides. There was a sleeping bag on it as well. I tried to keep as still as possible and slowed my breath down, and put my head on top of my folded arms. I couldn’t hear anything except the wind moving through the trees and some night birds calling out to one another.

And then I heard two voices calling out, “hey, you two have you seen a friend of ours? He got separated from us, and we think he got lost in the woods. He’s a man about forty years old, slightly balding, wearing a shirt and dark pants?”

“No, we haven’t seen a guy in a shirt and pants or anybody. It is the middle of the night out in the woods. Why are you wandering around in the woods in the middle of the night? Are you camping around here somewhere?”

“Camping? Yeah, yeah, we were camping on the other side of that river, and our friend took a walk, and we guess he got turned around and got lost. We’ve been looking for about an hour. We think this is the direction he was headed. Are you sure you didn’t see anybody?”

Of course, we’re sure. Why in the hell would anybody take a walk in these woods in the middle of the night? It gets damn cold out here at night. You could die from hypothermia.“

“Well, I guess he didn’t know any better. We should be on our way, or we won’t stand a chance of finding our friend tonight.”

“Yeah, well, if you ask me, it doesn’t make any sense for you two to go looking for your friend in the dead of night. Next thing you know, you’ll all be lost, and then we’ll have to get the rangers to come out and look for you. Go back to your camp until morning and then call for help. The guy will probably hunker down somewhere. There are quite a few caves he could spend the night in around here. But, you’ll never find him in the dark.“

“Well, I think we’ll keep looking. Thanks.”

“Good luck, you two. You’re going to need it. If you don’t come back this way tonight, we’ll notify the authorities in the morning that there are now three of you missing instead of one lost in the woods.”

“Not necessary. We’ll all be fine. Goodbye.”

And with that, they headed deeper into the woods. “OK, buddy, you can come out. They’re gone. They do look like they’re not playing games. Maybe you better come with us, and we’ll take you into the sheriff’s office in the nearest town, Mapleton. There’s a sheriff’s office there, and you can explain everything that has happened to you. And they can call in the state police or the Feds. You’ll be safe, and they’ll catch those guys who will no doubt be lost in the woods by now. And they didn’t have any supplies with them. So, they are going to be thirsty, tired, and hungry. You’re safe now. Let’s go. There’s my truck over there. It will take about forty minutes to get there. And cell phones don’t work out here. We’ll have to wait until we get closer.”

Meanwhile, the two criminals were steadily getting deeper and deeper into the woods. And it all looked alike. And before they knew it, they were completely and utterly lost. The heavier set of the two guys said,” I need to stop for a while. I’m dead tired and thirsty as hell. Do you have any water left?”

“Water, no, I don’t have any left. Do you know where we are? Because I haven’t got a clue?”

“No, I thought we were going North, but we’re not. We should have come out on the other side of the forest by now. But I think I see a cave ahead. We can stop there and rest for the rest of the night. What do you say?”

“Yeah, rest, let’s do that. We’ll start again in the first morning light.”

As they headed toward the cave, the smaller of the two said, “hey, what’s that noise?”

“Noise, what kind of noise?”

“Well, it sounds like some kind of low growl. What do you mean you don’t hear it?”
“Just as I said, I don’t hear anything. let’s get to the cave so we can get some rest. I can’t go any further tonight.

As the two of them entered the cave, they saw a bear cub in the back of the cave. ” The fat guy said, that looks like a bear. We better get the hell out of here. And then they both heard a loud growl, almost a roar. They turned as one and saw what must be the mother or the father of the cub. And he had his mouth wide open and was roaring like a lion. And then he rushed up to the two of them and swiped his huge paw and arm across their necks and faces. and they both fell to the ground and didn’t move again. The bear called out to his cub, and the two of them slowly meandered out of the cave and into the dark night.

The next morning the woodsman took the accountant to town to the sheriff’s office, and he gave a report about his harrowing experience. The sheriff’s office notified the Feds of their location and told them where the accountant was at their office. Later that day, the Feds arrived and took the report of the accountant’s experiences, and notified his family that he was alive and well and on his way home.

The Fed’s spent two days searching for the two criminals but were never able to find hide nor hair of them. They believed they had given up searching for the accountant and returned from whence they came. But they were never heard from again. And the accountant was able to go back to his family and his job. And his life went on, but he had learned a lesson. Do the right thing, and you will persevere in life.

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LIFE OFFERS US OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN

I wake up soaked in sweat, and the sheets are wound tightly around me. And I have the worse headache of my life.

By Agoda

Photo by Agoda

I reluctantly open my eyes, fearing the worse. Dear god, what have I done? I try to recall the previous night. It’s all a blur. I remember an acquaintance of mine texted me and asked me to meet him at a local bar for a drink. I’m not much of a drinker, but it had been a long work week, and I decided I could use a change of scenery and some friendly conversation.

It seems l must have met him at the bar and then overindulged. But frankly, that’s just not my style. As I said, I’m not much of a drinker. Usually, I just sip a glass of white wine the whole night. But the pounding in my head and nausea indicate that I’ve done more than sip a Chardonnay. I use the wine glass as a prop so I don’t look out of place. Really.

As I look around the room, it suddenly dawns on me that I’m not in my bedroom. I’m in a kind of dark and creepy cellar or something. As I attempt to get up off the bed, I realize I can’t move. My wrists are tied to a rusty metal headboard. I suddenly have the urge to scream at the top of my lungs. I open my mouth and yell at the top of my voice,” hey, let me the hell out of here. Come and let me the hell out of here, now. You better let me out now. This isn’t funny.” No one comes, and no one answers. I scream louder, “help, help let me out of here, now. I’m supposed to be meeting my mother for lunch.”

I start struggling, but the more I struggle, the tighter the ropes on my wrists feel. I begin crying hard. I cry so hard I start sobbing and can’t catch my breath. I feel as if I might throw up. I realized if I threw up, I could choke to death. So, I take deep, slow breaths to calm myself.

I slowly gain control of the panic I’m feeling, and my breathing becomes easier. But my heart is still beating irregularly. I keep breathing slowly with my eyes closed, and a few minutes later, my heartbeat is back to normal.

I consider what my options are at the moment. I can’t just lie here until the person who tied me up comes back and unties me. But then what? They could murder me and then ditch my body in the woods or something. I don’t like that scenario at all. But isn’t that what always happens in the cheap movies where some woman is stupid enough to go to a bar, get drunk, and is taken advantage of, murdered, and chopped up in pieces.

I decide that my best course of action is to stay calm and wait for the perpetrator to return and then outsmart him. I’m an intelligent woman and used to thinking on my feet under pressure. I’m a lawyer, although I would be hard put to explain to a jury how I was stupid enough to get myself in the predicament I found myself in today.

I have the added benefit of being quite attractive. At least, that is what I’ve been told. So, I decide that I would outwit him and use my female wiles to get my way. Well, maybe I should stick with the intellectual approach as I’m probably not looking my best right at this moment.

And it was at that moment I heard someone unlocking the door. My heart skips a beat or two. I try to keep my calm. I close my eyes, and then the door swings open with a bang that echoes down what sounds like a long empty corridor.

And then someone dressed all in black comes through the door. He has a black hood over his head. I feel as if I might faint. But I don’t. I wait a few moments, and then I say nonchalantly, “OK, the jokes over. Can you please untie me? I have a lot of things I have to get done today.”

I hear breathing, nothing more. And then, the man in black walks slowly over to the bed and stands over me. He’s tall and thin, and his breath smells like something died in his mouth and is rotting there. I try again, “OK, OK, that’s enough for today. I have to get going. I’m on a deadline and don’t have any more time to waste.”

I feel him loom over me. I gulp hard. He unties one of my wrists and says, “alright, let’s take this slow so nobody gets hurt. Lie still, and everything will be alright. Don’t struggle, don’t yell. And don’t do anything you’ll be sorry for. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand. I’m calm. I’m not going to do anything crazy. Just untie me and let me leave. No one ever needs to know about this ever. I promise. Now let me go.”

“You don’t know who I am, do you?”

“No, should I? Why don’t we let that be your little secret? Why don’t you just untie me, let me get dressed, and get out of here? I won’t tell anyone about our little “party.” I’m sure it was all meant to be fun. So, we had a few too many drinks, and we got carried away. That’s how I’ll remember it, anyway.”

“Really, tell me exactly what you remember.

I lie there for a moment, trying to decide the best course of action. And my mind is a total blank. I don’t have any memory of how I came to be here in this nightmare. But obviously, I made some really poor choices last night. And then it occurs to me I don’t have any idea if I’ve only been here one night or one year for that matter. My sweating begins anew.

“Honestly, I can’t remember how I came to be here. I recall that a friend of mine texted me and asked me to meet her at a bar for a drink. I vaguely recall going to a bar on South Street in Philadelphia called the Tattooed Mom. I waited at the bar for about fifteen minutes, and she didn’t show up. I ordered a glass of white wine, took a sip or two, and then made a trip to the Ladies’ room. When I came back to the bar, she still wasn’t there. I texted her and asked if she was on her way. She never answered. So, I gulped the rest of the wine, and that’s the last thing I remember.

And it was at that moment that I realized what had happened. And how I could only blame myself for my current predicament. It was clear now that when I went into the bathroom, this freak dropped a Roffie in my drink. Why the hell did I do something so thoughtless and stupid? Even teenagers and college girls know not ever to leave their drink unattended. But what about my friend Silvia? Why would she text me and not show up? Was she all a part of this nightmare? And then I thought, no way would she do anything like this. She’s one of the most thoughtful and kind people I know.

I look up at the hooded kidnapper and say, “what did you do to my friend Silvia? I know she wouldn’t have any part of this. Did you hurt her? Where is she?

“Alright, Elizabeth, I see your memories are starting to come back. And don’t you worry about Sylvie. I have her, and so far, she is just fine. She’s taking a nap right now. Perhaps I’ll let you see each other later, that is, if you are a good girl.”

“What did you do to her? I want to see her right now. I’m not going to cooperate with you at all until I know she is alright.

“You don’t really have any bargaining power here, Elizabeth. I’m in charge. It’s not like this is Bower and Sons, where you are the boss. You always act like you’re superior to underlings. But not here, I can do anything I want to you, and you can’t do a thing about it. You’re the loser here. You will do exactly as I say, or I will make your friend Sylvie pay the price. And I’ll make you watch the whole time.”

So now I know that this nutjob is somebody from my workplace, and he has Sylvia, and that is how he texted me. He was using her cell phone. I also know that somehow, I’m going to make this monster pay big time. “OK, I understand you’re in charge. I have to do what you say, or you’ll hurt Sylvie. I’ll cooperate, but can I please see Sylvia now?

“You can see Sylvia after you do what I tell you to do and not before. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand, I have to do exactly what you tell me to do, and then I get to see my friend. I promise I’ll be a good girl. What do you want me to do?”

“That’s more like it, I’m going to untie you, and you’re going to slowly stand up and take off your clothes.”

My heart started beating irregularly. And I start thinking, and now I’m going to be raped and murdered. And no one will ever know what happened to me, including my family. And then I thought, wait a minute, I’m not some poor helpless woman. I have the smarts and ten years of Marshall Arts training. I’m going to wait until he unties me, and then I’m going to give him the beating of his life. He’ll cry for his mamma when I’m done with him.

“OK, OK, whatever you want me to do.  Please just untie me. My arms and legs feel numb. You have the restraints so tight. I probably won’t be able even to stand up yet. I feel kind of nauseous too. I need to go to the bathroom, please. I promise to cooperate. I’ll be a good girl, whatever you want. “

“Alright, Elizabeth, now you understand who’s in charge now. And it isn’t you. You get that, now, don’t you?”

“Yes, I understand. You’re in charge. And I apologize if I ever made you feel bad or humiliated you at work. I see now how wrong that was, and I won’t do it again.”

“Alright, I’m going to untie you and let you go to the bathroom. And you aren’t going to try any funny business, or your friend Sylvia will pay the price, go it?”

“Yes, yes, I understand. Please let me go to the bathroom; I can’t hold it in anymore.”

“Stop whining.”

“OK, I’ll cooperate.”

He comes over and looms over me. And I think now he’s going to kill me? I close my eyes for a moment, and I can feel him untie the ropes. I know this is going to be my only chance to overcome this psycho. While he unties my right leg, I pretend to be crying and say, “please, please don’t hurt me.”

He laughs. I had never heard anyone laugh like that before or since, and it was truly the laugh of an insane and evil man. It sent chills down my back. As he unties my left leg, I get ready to kick him in the solar plexus as hard as I can. I know this is probably my one and only chance, and I’ll take it to a higher level. I’ll make it the kill strike if I have to.

“Oh, thank you so much,” I say, and then I kick him so hard his mama can feel it. And down he goes like a sack of rotten potatoes. I kicked him so hard that my legs muscles cramp up, and my hips hurt. And I grab the ropes and start tying him using all the knots I learned in the ten years I was a Girl Scout. I know they would come in handy someday. I finish it off with the constrictor knot. He’ll have to be cut out of these ropes.

He’s having trouble catching his breath. I give him another kick just for the hell of it. And then I go looking for Sylvia. I hear a muffled moaning from the other side of the wall. And there she is, tied with her arms behind her back and her legs tied tightly to the steel bunk she’s lying on. There are tears running down her face making clean tracks in her face, which was covered in some kind of filth.

“Oh honey, it’s alright. I’m here now. That piece of shit isn’t going to hurt you anymore. He’ll be going to prison for a long, long time. I carefully untie first her wrist and then her legs. She begins sobbing and choking. “Come on, try to sit up. You’re alright now. No one is going to hurt you anymore. I help her sit up, and she hugs me like she’s never going to let go. “You’re safe now, try and stand up.” She gets unsteadily to her feet, shaking like a leaf from head to toe. I hug her again.

“Elizabeth, you’re alright. I was so afraid he was going to kill you. He absolutely despises you. He told me that you were always emasculating him at work. And he was going to make you regret the day you were born. He told me he tailed you one Friday after work, and he saw us meet up, and then he followed me home. And then he found out who I was through your Social Media. I never realized how dangerous it was to put all your personal information on the internet. Anyone can find out where you live, where you work, who your friends are, and where you work. I’m going to delete any personal informant today.”

“Do you know where he put your cell phone?”

The last time I saw him talking on it, he put it down on that counter over there. But I don’t know if it’s still there. Since he kept drugging me until I stopped eating, then he put it in the water I drank.”

“How awful. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I can be somewhat difficult at work after years of working for men treating me like their slave or their mother. I got sick of it. And then, I started moving up in my company. I started doing the same to them. Come on, can you stand up? Let’s go call the police.”

After the police arrive, Elizabeth and Sylvia give their statements, and the paramedics look them over. They decide Sylvia needs to go to the hospital to be checked out because of dehydration and not eating for several days.

“I would like to go with Sylvia to the hospital if I can?”

“Of course, you can ride in the back with her. I’m sure she would feel better with a friend accompanying her. She’s had a really rough time of it.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that. She’s a good friend. And it’s my fault this happened to her.”

“No, you both are victims here. None of this is your fault. Go ahead and climb in the back and take care of your friend. You’re both in good hands now.”

Elizabeth and Sylvia sit quietly in the ambulance the whole ride. Before they pull into the Emergency parking at the hospital, Elizabeth leans down and kisses Sylvia on the cheek and hugs her, and says, “don’t worry, I’m going to stick with you like glue from now on.”

“Thanks, Elizabeth, you saved both of our lives. I’ll be careful and stay on your right side because you are a force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure.”

They hold each other’s hands the whole time that Sylvia is being examined, and then the doctor tells Sylvia it would be a good idea for her to stay overnight for observation, and she will be released in the morning. “Can I stay with her doctor?”

“Yes, of course, but wouldn’t you like to go home and get changed?”

“No, I’ll just wash up in the bathroom and sit next to my friend until she’s released. Then I’ll call a cab to take her home. I’m sure I’ll fall asleep sitting up, no problem. Thank you for taking care of us. I appreciate that. I know I don’t tell people often enough that I appreciate what they do. I will from now on, that’s for sure.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll come back later before my shift is up to check on you both.”

“Thanks again.”

Elizabeth steps into the bathroom and looks at herself in the mirror. She looks like something the cat dragged in on a cold night. She washes her face and hands. And then runs her fingers through her hair and goes to the bathroom. She returns quietly to the room and sits next to her friend, who is fast asleep and breathing evenly.

“Good night, Sylvia.” Then she stretches her legs out in front of her, puts her head down, and falls asleep. She doesn’t wake up for four hours until the night nurse comes in to check on Elizabeth. And then she wakes with a start. “What’s going on?”

“I’m the nurse I’m checking on your friend. She’s doing fine. Can I get you a pillow or anything?”

“No, I’ve never been better in my life, and then her eyes close, and she is off to the Land of Nod.

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THE PURSE

I pull into the only remaining parking spot at Shop Rite food store in Glassboro. I can’t believe how crowded it is. And then I remember today is the day that the Gloucester County bus transports the senior citizens to the food store. It’s not that I dislike older people, I ‘m no spring chicken myself.

However, some seniors perceive food shopping as a social event. They gather in groups in the middle of the aisle and gossip about one another. And they have debates about which is better frozen food or canned.

Shopping Cart- Google Image

I, on the other hand, detest food shopping. I want to get in and get out. After thirty years of food shopping, it holds no interest for me. It’s a task I must complete every two weeks. I’m not a foodie never have been.

I open the door of my car and sigh. I’m resign myself to the fact that I’m about to squander another hour of my life doing something I don’t want to do. I lock the door on my seventeen-year-old Mitsubishi Galant and walk over the corral where the shopping carts are stored.

As I get closer to the carts, I notice that there’s something in the first cart where mothers put their little kids. And low and behold, someone has left a large purse.

I look around to see if anyone is getting into their cars who might have left it there. Unfortunately, I don’t see anyone getting in or getting out of their cars. I pick up the purse and contemplate what I should do. Should I take it into the food store and leave it with customer service? Should I leave it in the cart in case the owner returns for it? No, someone will probably grab the purse take the money and credit cards and throw the purse in the trash.

Then I get the brilliant idea of looking into the purse for identification, possibly a phone number or address. I find the driver’s license. The owner of the purse lives in Clayton, a town about fifteen minutes away. There’s no phone number. Common sense tells me to take the purse into the store and give it to Customer Service.

But I don’t listen to common sense. I decide I’ll drive to Clayton and return it to the owner. Who may not realize where they left their purse. I get back in my car and turn on my GPS. I decide to take another quick look into the purse. I open it up, and I find an expensive-looking watch and some unopened letters, a gun, and handcuffs. And then I see drugs. Not the kind of pills I have in my purse, aspirin, and anti-acids. But illegal drugs or what I think are probably illegal drugs.

“Holy Mackerel,” I say out loud. I realize at this point I ‘m in over my head. I decide to take the purse and its creepy contents into the store to customer service and turn it in. I feel a bead of sweat dripping slowly down from my forehead off my chin. And more sweat follows.

Just as I’m getting out of my car to turn the purse over to the customer service, I sense someone is looking at me. I look to the right and the left. And I see a woman about thirty-years-old staring at me. The purse is wide open. This woman does not look happy. In fact, she appears as if she’s going to blow a gasket. Her face is distorted by anger, rage even.

I grin at her and shrug my shoulders.  I  see that doesn’t help. My first reaction is, she’s going to kill me. I try to get back in my car. and lock my door. But it’s too late. She’s grabbing the outside door handle and yanks the door open.

“What the hell are you doing with my purse?” She says.

“Oh look, I’m sorry I found it in one of the carts. I was just about to return it to you. I was looking in the purse for a phone number to call and let you know I found it. That’s all. I didn’t see anything.       Here take it.”

“You didn’t see anything? Come on you’re coming with me.”
“No, here take your purse, I’m not going to tell anyone, anything. I’m not going anywhere with you. I have to go food shopping today. Look, you can check your purse.  You won’t find anything missing. I have to go now.”

“You’re not going anywhere. Get in.”

“What? No, I’m not going anywhere with you. Just take the purse. Take it. I scream, “help” at the top of my lungs. It’s too late. That’s when she yanks me by the hair and pulls me over to the back of her car. Opens the trunk and shoves me in and slams the trunk closed. I bang on the trunk and kick it with my feet. And then I start screaming at the top of my lungs. But by then, she’s driving away. And nobody is going to hear me once we get on Delsea Drive, which is a really busy road all the time. I keep screaming, “help, I’m locked in the trunk.”

I begin feeling panicky. I’m sweating from my head down to the soles of my feet. It’s hot as Hades in here. I feel like I’m suffocating. I try screaming again, but only a squeak comes out of my dry throat. I keep thinking about a self-defense class I took years ago. They said, “whatever you do, don’t let anyone take you to a second location.” Or maybe I heard it, Oprah.

And that is when I start to lose it, hyperventilating, feeling like I was going to throw up. I begin kicking the trunk of the car with all my might, try to open it, hoping that it isn’t locked. No matter how hard I kick, it doesn’t budge.

I attempt to calm down and reason. Unfortunately, I’ve never been good under pressure. I always panic. Sometimes if someone asks me my name, I just stare at them blankly. I can’t remember my name at that moment. God forbid I get pulled over by a cop for speeding on making an illegal turn. My brain stops working altogether. I had test anxiety all through school even college. And now, my life depends on me getting my shit together. For all, I know, this woman is some sort of maniac or cold-blooded murderer. This could be my last day alive. I start praying; I’m not religious. But it might be worth a shot. “Help me, god, help me. I’ll be a better person. I won’t lose my temper so easily. I’ll start recycling. I’ll never tell another lie, ever. I’ll try to be more patient. Anything you want, god, just help me get out of this trunk and away from this murderer.”

I slow down my breathing, taking deep breaths, and slowly exhaling. I calm down a bit, and then the thought crosses my mind that maybe I’ll run out of air in the trunk and suffocate. I start feeling claustrophobic. I start yelling and kicking again, “help, I’m locked in the trunk, help, help, help.”

Suddenly, my brain kicks in a last-ditch effort to save my life. I remember that newer vehicles have an emergency release on the inside of the trunk. I’m on my side. I start feeling along the inside of the hood to the middle feeling for the release. It should be a small handle that I have to grab and then pull, and the hood should pop open after about two minutes, which feels like an eternity. I find the cable and follow it to the latch. I decide to wait until the car slows.

I’m sweating like a pig at this point, exhausted from the shock and terror I’m feeling. I don’t believe I’ve ever been so frightened in my life. I decide to start counting backward from a hundred to calm myself down. I’m on thirty-four when I feel the car slow down and comes to a halt. I pray we are at a light and not at this woman’s home. I pop the hood. I hear the engine is still running, I throw my legs over the top of the trunk and then with great effort push my upper body up and out.

I’m standing on the highway. A young woman driving a car directly in front of me is texting someone on her phone and doesn’t even see me. I run over to her car and start pounding on the driver’s side window. She slowly turns her head in my direction. I’m yelling as loud as I can, “help, help, help.”  Which isn’t loud because my throat is sore from yelling at the top of my voice for whatever amount of time I have been locked in the trunk. I have lost all sense of time.

She opens her window half-way down. “Please let me in, the woman in the car behind you kidnapped me. She has a gun, please, I need help, let me in. She glances at the car trunk directly behind her. The kidnapper is now aware that her unwilling passenger has escaped from the trunk. Until she see s her talking to the driver in the car in front of her.

“Please, here comes the kidnapper, please, please let me in.”

“OK, get in. You can use my phone to call the police.”

“Please lock your doors; maybe you should start beeping your car horn to call attention to what’s happening.”

The driver of the car looks in her rearview window and sees an armed woman running towards her car. “Crap, here she comes, she has a gun in her hand. We have to get out of here quickly. The driver starts beeping her car until everyone is looking in their direction.

The other driver’s make room for the woman to pull her car out. She starts weaving in and out of the traffic. And then there is traffic starts moving forward.

The woman driving my getaway car keeps saying out loud,” My God, what have I got myself into?” She says it about five times. I put my hand on her shoulder in an attempt to reassure her. She practically jumps through the roof of the car. “What the hell are you doing? Why are you touching me?’

“I’m sorry I was just trying to calm you down. Thank you so much for saving my life; only one in a million people would have done that. I was so lucky you were behind the getaway car.”

“Getaway car, what do you mean, did you rob a bank or something? Are you a bank robber?” Then she starts saying my god, my god, my god, what did I get myself into?”

“What? No, I’m not a bank robber. I was in the Shop Rite parking lot to do my food shopping. And I found a woman’s purse in the baby seat of the shopping cart. I was looking into the purse to find a name and address so I could contact the owner or return it. Then I decided it would be better to turn it into the Customer Service of Shop Rite. And I was just about to do that when the owner showed up.  Unfortunately for me because when I looked in her purse, I found a loaded gun, and drugs and a large sum of money, expensive jewelry, and handcuffs.”

“So anyway, she sees me looking in her purse. She comes barreling over to me, and if looks could kill, I would already be dead. She was in a rage. I tried to explain to her what happened. She wouldn’t listen. She grabbed me and dragged me over to her car and threw me in the trunk. And then she drove away. I know she was going to kill me. Why else would she throw me in the trunk? I remembered that newer cars have a trunk release. And I managed to open the trunk and climb out. And that’s where you came to the rescue. I owe you a debt of gratitude; you absolutely saved my life.”

Just as I finished recounting my experience to my savior, I hear a police siren and turn and look in the back window, and I see two cop cars following us. “Oh, thank god, the police are here? You should pull over.”

“Call the police? No, I didn’t have time to do anything. Someone else must have called the police when they say you get out of the trunk and get into my car.”

“Mam, can I see your driver’s license, please, and insurance card?”

“What, I didn’t do anything I was trying to save this woman’s life. She was locked in the trunk of the car in front of me, and she managed to escape. I was driving her to safety.”

I realize that mam, but I still have to see some identification. You too mam.”

“Me, I don’t even remember what happened to my purse, it might still be in my car at the ShopRite Food store in Glassboro where I was kidnapped. It is a black 2003 Mitsubishi Galant.”

“Alright man, I’ll have that checked out. Are either of you injured?”

“No, thank god. But that maniac threw me in the trunk. She had a gun. She was going to kill me because I found her purse and looked in it. She had a loaded gun, handcuffs and drugs, and a lot of money.”

“Alright, I understand, unfortunately, both of you are going to have to go make a statement at the police headquarters. The two of you can get in my vehicle, and I’ll have my partner drive your car to the station, miss.”

I look at her, and she looks back at me. I say,” I don’t know if I should laugh or cry.” So, I start laughing and crying at the same time. We hug each other.

“Oh, by the way, my name is Sandra. Sandra Gioiella. What’s your name?

“I’m Mary Guilfoyle. It’s been an interesting day. I don’t usually drink, but after this, I would really appreciate a beer, how about you?”

“That’s a date, lunch, too, on me.”

__________________________________

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Can you believe it I’m driving by myself all the way from New Jersey to Santa Barbara, California? I ‘ve been planning this trip for months. I packed all my worldly belongings and put them in the trunk and back seat of my vintage yellow VW.

According to my calculations, I’ll have to drive forty-five hours and eighteen minutes. It ‘s a two thousand eight hundred and sixty- nine-mile drive. I’m going to drive for seven hours a day. If I drive sixty miles per hour, I will arrive in Santa Barbara in seven days.

This is going to be the best Christmas of my life. It is my coup de gras. I was hired as the head buyer for the women’s hat and wig department at Robinson’s Department Store.

A Christmas Carol

You know it’s true what they say about LinkedIn. There are only two degrees of separation from you and someone who will help you achieve your goal. That’s how I got the job at Robinson’s Department Store. My old college roomie Bernadette knows the head of human resources at Robinson’s. She helped me get the job.

I know it’s all going to work out. I’m just outside the city limits of Oklahoma City, and my stomach starts growling. I pull into a Burger King. And order a burger and fries and sit down in a corner booth. I practically inhale the food.

I know that soon my days of eating alone will be over. I ditch the trash as I walk out to my car.  I turn on the ignition. The engine starts up but makes a grinding noise when I try back up. A really nice older man walks over to my car. After looking it over, he says, “Mam, I’m sorry to tell you, but it looks like you are going to need a new transmission.”

In my head, I’m screaming. I only have enough money to get to Santa Barbara and survive until my first paycheck. When he delivers this news, my eyes tear up. He takes one look at me. I see that fight or flight look in his eyes, like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Mam, now don’t start crying, lord. I can’t bear to see a woman in tears. Let me call my friend; he has an auto repair shop. I’ll get him to come and tow your car to his shop.”

I end up having to stay overnight in this seedy motel, called Bo Joe’s hotel and Gift Shop. It smells like a teenage boy’s gym locker, moldy gym clothes, and a forgotten tuna fish sandwich.

I take a shower. Just as I’m drying off with a towel the size of a napkin, my cell phone rings. It’s the guy from the garage. He has to order a part, but my car should be fixed late this afternoon. He’ll give me a call. I’m almost afraid to ask him how much.

“It only going to be six hundred dollars because I’m giving you a break on the labor charge.”

God, I hate to know what it would cost if he weren’t giving me a break. I’ll have to put it on my Visa card. Crap. I walk across the street and have a tasty breakfast of burnt toast and greasy eggs at a place called Good Eats, a very misleading name. I sit on the torn leather seat, sipping my lukewarm bitter coffee. How can it be so bitter? Was it heated up from the day before? I leave a fifty-cent tip for the over-the-hill waitress.

I walk up and down the street. None of the stores are open except for a drug store. I walk up and down the isles and decide to buy a paperback book called Your Heart’s Desire.  I take it as a sign that everything is going to work out. This car trouble is just a little bump on my road to true love and happiness.

At four o’clock, my cell rings. It’s the mechanic. “Mam, your car is ready I can send Randy over to pick you up if you like.”

I like.  By five o’clock, I’m back on the road towards Paradise. I pick up the pace and drive through Amarillo, Albuquerque, then Flagstaff, and Barstow. Then I see the sign I’ve been waiting for Welcome to Santa Barbara.

It’s beautiful, the mountains on one side and the deep blue ocean on the other. I find my way to a hotel and check-in.  I can almost see the beach from my bedroom window. I unpack and start planning the rest of my life.

In the morning, I put on my favorite Versace knock-off blue, silk suit, and my favorite pale-yellow blouse. I take a final look in the mirror. I look fantastic. I head off to my first day at Robinson’s and the rest of my life. I pull into the employee’s parking lot.  I head up to the human resource office.

Allison Moore, my friend’s friend, offers me a seat in her office. “Hello, Carol, we all been looking forward to meeting you. And having you become part of our family at Robinson’s. We know you’re going to love it here. We are all sure that you will be an asset to our store. Can you fill out these papers first? Then we’ll head on down to the dining room for a light breakfast. You can meet James Madison, the head of the department store. He always meets all our new department heads on their first day. He has been on a buying trip for the past six weeks, so he hasn’t had the opportunity to read over your resume. But I know he’ll be as impressed as I am.

My heart starts beating rapidly and irregularly. I’m literally a heartbeat away from being reunited with my one and only true love, James.  I hand the papers with trembling hands to the secretary.

“Ms. Moore will be right out have a seat. “Fantastic, all the paperwork is complete. Let’s get down to the dining room and have a meet and greet with Mr. Madison.”

We get in the elevator and descend to the first floor and to the dining room. My heart is pounding out of my chest. I’m hyperventilating. I’m afraid I am going to pass out before I even see James. I see him getting out of his seat and extending his hand to me. I hear a faint buzzing in my ears and heat rising up to my head. That’s the last thing I remember until I come to. I look around somewhat dazed. There are two security guards and a police officer standing over me. “What’s happening?”

James is standing there, glaring down at me. “Officer escort this woman out of here. There’s a warrant out for her arrest in Colorado. She’s been stalking me for the past ten years. Two years ago, she drugged and kidnapped me and kept me, prisoner, for five days. Her name is Carol Damminger. She is completely insane and dangerous. Get her out of my sight.”

I’m taken in handcuffs to the squad car. “Officer, this is all just a misunderstanding. A lover’s quarrel, you’ll see.”

But they don’t see, and that’s how I ended up spending Christmas awaiting extradition to Colorado to be tried for kidnapping and unlawful restraint. But it will all work out. James and I are meant to be together. One day very soon, we will be. As soon as I have access to a computer, it will all work out. Easy peasy.