Judge, Jury, and Executioner
Pride is the Root of All Evil
Pride is the Root of All Evil
Nancy read on her stool in the thrift shop as a young man came in all rugged and tired.
“You’re new. What’s your name?” Derrick asked.
“Nancy.”
“Well, Nancy,” he said cocky, strutting up to the counter. “How you doin’?”
“Fine,” she shrugged.
“Whatcha reading?”
“Just a book for school.”
“School. Never went to school, never wanted to. I’m a roofer. Fuckin’ hard work, but you probably know that being there, you know?”
“Yeah, well, I love it,” she boasted.
“That’s good,” Derrick smiled slyly as he lit a cigarette. Nancy’s eyes sharpened.
“Um, I don’t think you’re allowed to do that.”
“Sure I can. It’s fine.” He blew smoke above his head. “I’ll be out of your way. Just lookin’.”
Nancy was uncertain of this young roofer. She kept her eyes on him glued to his weird walk and dirty look. He looked at something and put it inside his jacket and kept walking.
“Hey! What you think you’re doin’? Put that back!” She rushed upon him arms akimbo.
“Oh, don’t worry, the guy here told me I can take whatever I want. I patched up his roof last week. He said I can come by anytime. Real nice guy.”
“Yeah, right. Put that back.”
“Lady, it’s OK-”
“It’s not OK! Put it back! Now.” She glared at him.
He stared back at her with his eyes about to rage but then sighed and relaxed. He opened his big coat and put back a little package of guitar strings.
“Fine. No problem, missy,” he rolled his eyes. Nancy went back to her stool annoyed.
“I think you should leave,” she said in a huff.
“You kicking me out? I wanna pay for ‘em.”
“No, just go! Please.”
He came up slowly to the counter with a swagger as he smoked. His hands were grimy from work. Blackened by the day, his olive skin shined in the halogen lights. “You think you’re better than me?”
“What? You tried stealing. You people,” she rolled her eyes. “You’re trying to justify your behavior.”
“Missy, you don’t know jack. A simple smile goes a long way.”
“What does it matter?”
“You can be surprised.”
“Just leave.”
“Why?”
“Cause you’re a criminal!”
“Says who?”
“Says me, bud!”
He smiled and blew smoke in the air. “Good day, miss,” he said politely as he began to back up slowly. “One of these days, life will knock you down and when that happens you’ll thank me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He walked out without another word into the dark night.
She was livid and went back to reading but couldn’t concentrate. His words haunted her. She looked up and sighed. Scared because of the evening, she felt the lonely darkness outside.
She got up and went over to the shelves and saw coats strewn across the floor. She figured it was the result of the roofer as she angrily picked them up and put them back on the hangers.
Suddenly, glass shattered in her direction and a brick hurtled towards her head. She ducked and screamed in terror covering her pale face. The alarms rang violently as she heard feet shuffling on the pavement. Someone ran and a car door slammed shut and sped off down the empty street. She tried looking outside to see the perpetrator but already figured it was that guy.
It was him for sure.
Upset and tears in her eyes, she rang the police. “Hello, 911, what’s your emergency?”
She told them everything about the guy and about the brick. She held it together until she hung up.
Then she called her boss, Fakir, and explained everything. She told him how the alarms weren’t stopping and asked how to turn them off. He said he would be over right away.
Going over behind the counter, she sat down on the floor shaking. She put her head between her legs and wept bitterly.
Sirens were heard and then Fakir came in and stopped the alarms promptly. Then he called out.
“I’m here.” Rushing, she got up out of cover and explained again what happened.
“Not good. Very bad. Terrible.” Fakir shook his head.
“I know and he said that life will knock me down! Why is he doing this?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know.”
Hurriedly, two police cars pulled up and four cops flooded the place. One man and a woman cop asked her questions for a good while at the counter asking about the whole situation and who the man was.
“He’s out there right now. I mean… It seemed like he was going to hurt me. And… But I didn’t think so. Not until the brick came through.” She started to cry and shake.
“It’s OK, honey,” the female cop said. “We’re gonna find him.”
The male cop compelled by compassion and seeking justice radioed, “All units, be advised: a thirty-year-old white male with a big coat and black jeans walking or driving heading East downtown.” He went on and on as the female cop sat with Nancy.
“We’re gonna find him, OK,” she said caressing her back as she sobbed holding her head. “Don’t you worry.”
But she worried and feared he would return.
“Come here, fucker.” The young cop manhandled Derrick bringing him in without cuffs. He struggled but didn’t try anything because now many cops surrounded him.
“Is this him? We found him five blocks down outside his place.”
Nancy looked at him. Derrick feared her now. “Yes, it’s him. He’s the one.”
“I didn’t do nothin.’” The young roofer said.
“How could you-” she began.
“How could I what?”
“Are you? You’re Derrick,” Fakir asked.
“Yeah, man. I worked on your roof. Tell ’em what you told me.”
“And, and… you said he was stealing. But I said he could come by anytime and take what he wanted. Yes, that’s right.”
“What are you talking about, chief,” the head of the units asked.
“What he said was true. He wasn’t stealing.”
“And I didn’t throw a rock through no window. I’m innocent,” he pleaded sternly.
“Is that true, Miss Pankowski?” the officer asked. “Did Derrick say that Mr. Gupta had given him permission to get anything from the store?”
“Well… yes. I mean… But he-”
“What?” Derrick’s eyes were inflamed.
“I just… I guess I didn’t mean to but he was taking something and putting it in his jacket.”
“OK, OK, I think it’s all been a misunderstanding.”
“Then who threw the brick?” Nancy asked angrily confused by the whole mess.
“I don’t know, but whoever it was it wasn’t him. This part of town is rough, miss.”
“Yeah, they always try to break in,” Fakir pleaded. “He is good man.”
“OK,” the officer said sighing and rubbing his forehead. “Well, let’s get this all settled. Sorry, Mr…”
“Brandy. Derrick Brandy.”
“Mr. Brandy. Miss Pankowski.” The officer nodded to them as he walked out to write up the reports.
After the cops went home and the shop closed for the night Fakir was about to leave.
“I’m… I’m really sorry, Mr. Gupta.”
“No, no, no. It is fine, Nancy. The guy who threw the brick must’ve wanted to break in. It’s not a nice neighborhood, but it’s my neighborhood,” he laughed. “Not your fault. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” He drove off and Derrick was still there smoking and resting his back against the building. He smiled and took a long drag.
“I-I… I don’t know-”
“Save it, missy. It’s OK. I’ll see ya around.” He winked and stomped on the butt. He walked away whistling as Nancy was left to think about what she’d done.
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