Flowers for the Lady
By Laurie Knox
Hurry up! I said to myself as I finished shaving. She leaves work at six. I wanted to surprise her and it was twenty to.
I ran to my room and opened the wardrobe. I don’t normally wear suits, but today was a special occasion. I took out my only jacket, trousers, white shirt and a tie. My gloves were waiting for me by the front door. I’d get them in a minute.
After I knotted the tie, I checked the mirror. A bit more gel on the hair would be perfect. I scrub up well.
Walked up Cornwall Road to the flower-seller on the corner. “Cheapest bunch you’ve got, mate,” I said. He smirked as he wrapped the stems in paper. Don’t get cocky, mate, I thought. You’re the cunt selling flowers on the street.
Gave him four quid and carried on my way. It was five to. I had enough time. I walked through the crowd of suits just outside Waterloo Station. I blended in perfectly. When you can’t see the tats or the scar on my neck, I almost look like one of those pricks.
I stood outside the railway arches granddad always used to bang on about playing football in. Checked my watch. One minute ‘til kick-off. God it was hot. Sweat pouring all over the place.
It was the last Friday of the month, so the pavements were packed with country rats scuttling onto their trains out of the city. I was facing the flow. Right on cue I saw her bending down and locking the shutter at the end of the street. She walked with intent towards me. She obviously wears high heels a lot, ‘cos they weren’t slowing her down. I could see the brown envelope sitting in her handbag. As soon as she passed the alleyway, I started to walk through the vermin.
We got within five yards of each other and I swapped the flowers to my left. Changing my path, I held the flowers up, smiled and stepped in front of her. She frowned and went to walk past, then BAM! I caught her with a beauty on the chin and she was straight off her feet. I snatched her bag amidst a chorus of screams and legged it right down Leake Street. Turning into the alley, I kept going ‘til I was at the bottom. I looked round. No-one there. First things first; get rid of the mobile. That went over the wall. Next, I checked the envelope. Bingo! I took the cash and purse and climbed over the other wall.
Dusted myself down and then ran through the car park. With the evidence stashed in my pocket (or back in the alley), it was time to act calm as I turned into Belvedere. I took off my gloves and threw them in the public bin. I walked the long route home and emptied the envelope onto the kitchen table. Shit! This is better that I’d thought! This would keep me going for six weeks. I rifled through her purse. Oh no you didn’t! You stupid bitch! In her purse was a scrap of paper with four numbers on them. She had eight bank cards in there, too. I threw off my suit and put on some casuals. Reaching for an unmarked cap, I rushed to the door with a new business plan in mind. My work wasn’t done for the day. I had to go to the bank.
- - -
Originally from Kent in England, he studied Economics at Southampton University before training as an accountant in London. Unhappy with the life of an office dweller, he moved to Seoul, Korea in 2007. He currently teaches English and spends his spare time exploring the Korean countryside.
By Laurie Knox
Hurry up! I said to myself as I finished shaving. She leaves work at six. I wanted to surprise her and it was twenty to.
I ran to my room and opened the wardrobe. I don’t normally wear suits, but today was a special occasion. I took out my only jacket, trousers, white shirt and a tie. My gloves were waiting for me by the front door. I’d get them in a minute.
After I knotted the tie, I checked the mirror. A bit more gel on the hair would be perfect. I scrub up well.
Walked up Cornwall Road to the flower-seller on the corner. “Cheapest bunch you’ve got, mate,” I said. He smirked as he wrapped the stems in paper. Don’t get cocky, mate, I thought. You’re the cunt selling flowers on the street.
Gave him four quid and carried on my way. It was five to. I had enough time. I walked through the crowd of suits just outside Waterloo Station. I blended in perfectly. When you can’t see the tats or the scar on my neck, I almost look like one of those pricks.
I stood outside the railway arches granddad always used to bang on about playing football in. Checked my watch. One minute ‘til kick-off. God it was hot. Sweat pouring all over the place.
It was the last Friday of the month, so the pavements were packed with country rats scuttling onto their trains out of the city. I was facing the flow. Right on cue I saw her bending down and locking the shutter at the end of the street. She walked with intent towards me. She obviously wears high heels a lot, ‘cos they weren’t slowing her down. I could see the brown envelope sitting in her handbag. As soon as she passed the alleyway, I started to walk through the vermin.
We got within five yards of each other and I swapped the flowers to my left. Changing my path, I held the flowers up, smiled and stepped in front of her. She frowned and went to walk past, then BAM! I caught her with a beauty on the chin and she was straight off her feet. I snatched her bag amidst a chorus of screams and legged it right down Leake Street. Turning into the alley, I kept going ‘til I was at the bottom. I looked round. No-one there. First things first; get rid of the mobile. That went over the wall. Next, I checked the envelope. Bingo! I took the cash and purse and climbed over the other wall.
Dusted myself down and then ran through the car park. With the evidence stashed in my pocket (or back in the alley), it was time to act calm as I turned into Belvedere. I took off my gloves and threw them in the public bin. I walked the long route home and emptied the envelope onto the kitchen table. Shit! This is better that I’d thought! This would keep me going for six weeks. I rifled through her purse. Oh no you didn’t! You stupid bitch! In her purse was a scrap of paper with four numbers on them. She had eight bank cards in there, too. I threw off my suit and put on some casuals. Reaching for an unmarked cap, I rushed to the door with a new business plan in mind. My work wasn’t done for the day. I had to go to the bank.
- - -
Originally from Kent in England, he studied Economics at Southampton University before training as an accountant in London. Unhappy with the life of an office dweller, he moved to Seoul, Korea in 2007. He currently teaches English and spends his spare time exploring the Korean countryside.
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