text: Money had been tight for weeks now, and there wasn't a light at the end of the tunnel. I decided that I would find some cash, one way or another, and that my wife had to never find out. I considered robbing a bank. After going to a few different banks, and realizing many of them had security, I thought better. I wasn't ready to risk my life or my freedom for some cash. Plus, banks had countermeasures. GPS tracking devices in the stacks, exploding ink packets, just to name a few. It wasn't worth it. There were a few local cheque cashing places nearby. I didn't like this idea either. You never know when some cowboy with a gun will be behind the counter, ready to die for the insured cash. I knew I didn't want to have to deal with guns. I didn't have one, and I wasn't ready to go get one either. This was going to have to be clean, and, at least mostly, non violent. Coming home one night from staking out a bank, the opportunity presented itself. I saw a young lady, carrying a bright red deposit bag to the night drop, to the bank I was checking out. She must have worked close by, maybe even in the plaza the bank was in. She wasn't driving, and she was by herself. This would probably be the easiest robbery I could achieve. The next few weeks I spent back tracking. Moving my car to where I saw her coming from, and then finding a new point of reference, I was able to track her down to a local bar. This was even better than I'd imagined. Bars are cash businesses. That deposit bag was not going to be full of just credit receipts. There was a sign in the window, advertising the next fight that would air on pay-per-view, and be shown at the bar. That was going to be my night. Bars are packed on fight nights, and that would also mean she would be a bit later getting the deposit all counted. The later at night, the less chance of any witnesses. I decided I wouldn't be able to have my car close by the night of the crime. I didn't want it made. I didn't want her to see it, and be able to identify it. I needed to make sure this never got back to me. The planning process was the most important, and something I took great pride in. I intentionally would let her see me put the money, deposit bag and all, into a bright yellow grocery bag. I would have nothing else identifiable on me. I'd wear a mask. I would wear all black. I would approach her from behind on a bike. I made sure to get new bearings on the bike, it was almost silent. I painted the bike black, with no logos. It went exactly as I had hoped. As she turned into the parking lot the bank was in, there was a tall shrub, that obstructed the view of the cameras. I came up behind her and threw myself off the bike, and tackled her to the ground. By the time she knew what was happening I had my hand over her mouth. As she looked at my masked face, into my eyes, she knew. She knew exactly what was happening. I told her calmly not to scream, or I would hurt her. She believed me, and I felt her stop struggling, and almost go limp. I told her I only wanted the money, and if she didn't fight me, she would be fine. She nodded. I grabbed the deposit bag out of her hand, and placed it in the bright yellow bag. I knew she would remember this bag and when she called the police they would be looking for it. I took her cell phone, and pulled the battery out and tossed it into the bushes and gave her the phone back. I told her I didn't want to cost her money, that she should be able to find the battery. She nodded, tears in her eyes. I told her I wasn't going to tie her up, but if I saw her following me, or if I saw her run, I would find her and kill her. I pulled her license out of her purse and looked at her address. She knew I wasn't messing around. I told her if she screamed when I let go of her mouth, she wouldn't ever be heard from again. And I let her go. She held back a scream, a weep. I picked up the bike, and with the yellow bag on the handle bars, I took off. When I looked back, she wasn't following, but I could see her in the bush, looking for her battery. I figured it would take at least forty seconds to reboot the phone, at least three minutes, probably longer, for the police to respond. I made my way to my first stop. An ally. I had planted a bright white bike, with lots of distinct markings. I lost the mask, and took off my outer layer of black clothing, exposing my bright blue shirt, and my green warm up pants. I looked like the 90s. I took the deposit bag out of the yellow shopping bag, and placed it under my shirt, where I very quickly taped it to my chest. I was on my way out of the ally, back towards the crime scene, when I heard sirens in the distance. My timing was spot on. I peddled back towards the bar my victim worked at, where there was still a group of rowdy drunks outside. I went past them about three blocks, to my car. I left the bike outside a local shelter, and walked across the street, got into my car, and went home. When I got home, I went upstairs and kissed my wife on the forehead, and told her everything was going to be alright. "I know, I've been trying to get a hold of you all night. I bought a ticket, we won!" We had won the lottery.