For Frank and Rich, at their request.

The plan was simple and brilliant.

They would leave work at 10:30 coffee break. Exit through front reception. Cross street to bank. Outside bank, just out of range of security cameras, slip on ski masks and draw guns. Enter bank at 10:36, just as the armored car agent walks in pushing the dolly full of currency. Rich holds gun to agent’s head. Frank pushes dolly through bank to rear parking lot, where Rich parked stolen van evening before. Rich would follow Frank, covering the crowd with his weapon, opening the van’s back door for Frank and the money. Rich closes the van door, still holding people at bay, and drives van around block, around to office parking garage from behind, and parks at 10:41. Retrieve soda and pretzels from cooler in van, remove masks and weapons, locking them in van with money. Walk into office at 10:43, with two minutes to spare before break ends.

Leave at end of day with fifty thousand dollars in cash, each.

10:30: Exit through front reception. Flo from Marketing tries to talk Rich and Frank into buying Girl Scout cookies for her daughter’s troop. Frank gets Thin Mints. They get out at 10:35.

10:37: masks, guns, enter bank. Armored car is late. Fat woman with small child begins screaming. Security guard approaches. Rich spins around, accidentally knocks him in the face with his gun. “Sorry!” Rich says, before he remembers he’s not supposed to speak. Frank sees the armored car agent walk in with dolly, sprints to intercept. Slips on newly-waxed floor. Falls, fractures tailbone. Gun skitters away. Small child with screaming fat mother points at Frank and laughs. 10:38: Rich points gun to agent’s head. Agent is a fast draw; he already has his own pistol aimed right back at Rich. From the floor, Frank rolls to grab for his gun. Screaming fat woman gets to it first and points it at Frank. Small child giggles.

10:39: Frank rolls away from screaming fat woman and gasps in pain from pressure on his tailbone. Screaming fat woman shoots. Bullet grazes Frank’s big toe. Frank screams now.

Rich and agent are in a standoff. Reaching slowly down to grab Frank by the collar, Rich pulls Frank up from the floor and begins edging out the door.

10:40: Rich and Frank get to the bank door, turn, and run. Followed by the security guard, armored car agent, bank employees and screaming fat gun-wielding woman with giggling child. Rich and Frank dodge a car to get across the street.

10:42: Rich and Frank stumble into front reception. Flo from Marketing and Melinda, the receptionist, stare. “Break’s not over yet,” Rich pants. Frank faints from loss of blood. Flo and Melinda are still staring.

10:43: Rich realizes he is still wearing a ski mask and clutching a gun. “Oh, this. I can explain. Uh…”

10:44: Security guard, armored car agent, bank employees and screaming fat gun-wielding woman with giggling child arrive in front reception.

Break’s over.

Copyright 2004-2006 Amy Frushour Kelly. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means without prior written consent prohibited.