Lucky Ticket by Ed Lindsey (good book club books TXT) 📕

giving people directions, to the many different areas of the big building. Andy, the doorman was at his post,standing by the main door, and he greeted Mary warmly, when he saw her. They exchanged remarks, on how cold the weather had been for November already, and Andy asked her, if she would like him, to hail her a cab. Andy told her to stay inside, and he would come get her, just as soon as the cab arrived. Andy was just a minute, as he walked in from the cold and misty weather, to retrieve Mary. Andy opened the cab door, and Mary rushed to get into the heated back seat, of the cab. Andy closed the cab door, and Mary gave the cabbie instructions on where she wanted to go. She arrived at her apartment in Brooklyn, and quickly removed her clothes, and took a shower,only after making sure all the doors were locked. After all, this was New York City, and this was Brooklyn, and the crime rate the officials say was going down, if you could believe that! After reading every mornings newspaper's through the month about rapes, shootings, muggings, vandalisms, and robberies she kind of doubted their findings. Her brother was at work, and she knew that he would not be here until 8 p.m. tonight, as she planned on her nice, hot, long shower, and try to get this cold feeling away from her bones. Mary did not tell Ted, that she was terrified at taking a plane to California, and after all, it was only 2 months after that terrible day of September 11. Mary was in her office, when the first plane hit the towers, and she could feel the building shake, when the first tower fell. Even though it was over 40 blocks away ,the dust it created blocked the sun, and it was dark in a city, that was always full of light. All those people in those buildings, and planes, that lost their lives that day, shook her, and her beliefs of a compassionate God, and was thrown out an open window. Then the rest of the day, all you heard on the news in New York, was about not 1 plane but 4! How could this happen in a country noted for its safety to all Americans? Like her, many Americans lost faith also in the airline industry ,and she grew concerned about her safety along with other Americans. How safe are we? she asked. And then another plane came down,a few weeks later, but this was not done by a terrorist, but a deicing problem or pilot malfunction. Yes, she is scared of flying, even with all the now stepped up security across the nation. She stepped into the shower hoping to drain the coldness from her bones, not only from the weather, but from her fears that everyone has, after September 11.


Chapter Six


Mary stepped out of the shower feeling warm at last, and refreshed. She looked at the clock ticking away, and at the small hands pointing, stating it was 3: oo p.m. Mary hurried, and had her clothes on in record time, trying to capture the warmth of the recent shower. She was blow drying her long red hair while running a brush through it,to get out any developing tangles that might occur. She was ready to go out, and shop a little, and maybe grab something to eat. She took her purse from the kitchen counter were she had lain it, and she opened it, and withdrew the wad of money that Ted gave her. She withdrew 500.00 dollars, and put the rest in her dresser drawer, where she would take it to the bank in the morning, before her flight, and get traveler’s checks. Mary tucked her plane ticket inside a small zippered pouch inside her purse, not wanting to see it, less be thinking about it. For tomorrow would come soon enough, right now she was running out of serious shopping time. She put her briefcase away with her presentation inside it, just inside her walk in closet. And she put on a coat, that covered her bare legs. She grabbed her purse, and left the apartment, and within seconds after hailing a taxi, was speeding off to Manhattan. Inside the cab, she reached inside her coat pocket making sure she had her only connection to the outside world, her cell phone. The cabbie left her off, after being paid, on the busy store front street in Manhattan. She walked inside one of the many dress shops,hoping to find something to wear to her presentation, and was immediately gratified, at finding a light green dress, that when she put it on heads would turn, and they certainly would pay attention, and besides it complimented her red hair. It was only 200.00 dollars, and the heels to match was another 50.00, and she was very elated at finding such a bargain, in such a short while. The sales woman wrapped her choices up, after Mary paid her, and she was still telling Mary how great she looked in that dress. Mary asked the saleswoman if she knew of any great places to eat in the area, and that she was famished after only having a Danish, that was an understatement. The saleswoman said that she knew of a place.That is, if she liked Italian, and it was just a couple blocks from the store, and it was called Bono’s, and that they carried a large menu with Chicken Marsalis, Spaghetti, Pizza, Salads, and any type of pasta or bread you could name. That made Mary’s stomach growl in anticipation, as she picked her things off the counter, she thanked the woman and left. It was only a short walk to Bono's, and Mary could actually smell the place before she arrived or even saw it. Mary ordered a Salad, and the Chicken Marsalis, with fresh Italian bread, and a glass of red port wine. She ate quickly wanting to get home before 6:30, and it now it was already 5:45. After she was through eating, the waiter came with her bill, in which she slipped the money in, along with the waiters tip. She got up, and put her coat on, and grabbed her things, heading for the restaurants exit. Mary was standing outside the restaurants entrance, waiting for a taxi, with her purse in one hand, and packages in her other, when from out of no where, a teenage kid snatched her purse, and was out of sight before she could even open her mouth. She grabbed her phone from her coat pocket and dialed 911 and the police shortly arrived. Mary gave her description of the suspect to the officer that arrived, and his name was Sgt. Wilkes. The Sgt. gave Mary little comfort by telling her that 99 percent of the time a purse snatcher took money and credit cards that he could get rid of, and he would dump the purse or wallet, in one of the many trash cans that are strewn about the city. And the snatcher would be hard catching, because too many victims, and witnesses give too many descriptions ,and not enough details of the snatcher. Mary thought about this and was a little embarrassed, thinking on her description of the boy that she gave Sgt. Wilkes. He was about 5ft 8 or 5ft 9, slim build, wearing a black jacket, and he had on blue jeans ,and he had sneakers on his feet, and no she did not see his hair color, because he had on a knit cap, that was black she thought. Sgt Wilkes said that he would patrol the area, in the hope of finding the guy, but told her not to get her hopes up. He also told her to call her major credit card holders and cancel any cards. Sgt. Wilkes then called a taxi to take Mary home, and the good officer, gave the cabbie his fare.


Chapter Seven

Mary arrived at her apartment at 8:00 shaken from her ordeal, her brother was already there ,and worrying about her being so late, because Mary was always there, before him. Bobby had told her that he would be home at 8:00 tonight, just to spend some time with her, and talk, before she left in the morning to California. His job was a hectic one, and sometimes it kept him away from their apartment long after Mary could stay awake and talk. And it seemed the only time they got to see one another lately, was on weekends, but even then something was always coming up, where they never saw each other even then. Mary was now in her brothers’ protective arms sobbing, and telling him of the purse snatcher. Bobby was soothing his sister telling her that the guy would be apprehended,and brought to justice, and for her not to worry. And shortly,her sobbing subsided, and she let go of her brother, and she sat on the couch, while her brother made some tea. At 9:10, Sgt. Wilkes knocked on Bobby’s and Mary’s apartment door, and Bobby opened the door to the big policeman, and invited him in. Bobby noticed that the SSgt was carrying in his left hand a small black purse, that looked like his sister’s. Mary came out from the living room, and the Sgt asked her if she recognized the purse, in which he handed it over to her. He found it in a trash can, about a block from where the snatcher grabbed it, and of course he said it's
empty, just like he told her it would be. He assured her, that all his men would be on the look out for the young man but, he said to her to make sure she got all the locks changed on her apartment door. Because now the snatcher also had her address, and he might come and rob her, when she or Bobby was not at home. Bobby told the officer, that he would call the locksmith first thing in the morning ,and get them changed, and he thanked Sgt Wilkes for all that he had done for Mary. They shook hands and the Sgt left. After the SSgt was gone Mary opened her purse, and she found that the only thing the snatcher left was her lipstick. She was crossing her fingers, as she opened the small zippered compartment where she stashed the airline ticket. She did not care about the small amount of cash that the guy took; just so that he did not find that ticket. That is all she was caring about as she opened it. Her heart sank, as her fingers came upon nothing, wanting to make sure her hands were not deceiving her, she took the purse and held it under the kitchen light, and peered in to emptiness. She had to call her boss.


Chapter Eight

Ted was at home with his wife and 3 children watching television, and eating popcorn, and watching their favorite show, Survivor. The phone rang at 9:30 and Grace, Ted’s wife, got up to answer it, and shortly Ted was listening to a now sobbing again Mary