The drop

Corbett | November 23, 2003 12:59 PM

Irene and I got into JFK on the last flight from Taiwan, which meant arriving at like 2am. We got a taxi, gave our address, and promply passed out. The driver yells at us that we're there, we pay, and drag our roll along bag out of the trunk. Then the taxi screeches away down the street. We are sort of awake by now, look around, and that's when we realize we're not home, but dumped off in some deserted section of Brooklyn. There are no cars on the street, only a few houses, most boarded up, and just a few steetlights. We realize at the same exact time that we're really in a dangerous situation, and without a word start hauling ass to the nearest big intersection which feels like it would be about half a mile away. While we're pulling along our bag, frantically looking around to see when the crack heads would appear, thoughts are flying through my head. "Can I remember how to hotwire a car?" "What if we ran to one of these houses and just started pounding on the door and screaming?" "What happens when we get to the street?" "Should I try to break into on of these cars and hide on the floor until morning?" "How much money do I have on me?" I say something to Irene in Chinese, and she gives me that we-are-so-fucked-don't-say-a-goddamned-word look, and I know that she is just trying to hold it together too. Just then, we see another few people also dragging bags along, apparently screwed by the same scam. There's a Japanese guy in a tux. He'll be the first to go. Then an Indian couple, and some people from Latin America. We all sort of group together in the middle of the street, walking as fast as possible, nobody uttering a word. A few minutes later there are 2-3 guys following us at a leisurely pace. Then a few more. Eventually there are about 8 scary looking guys walking on all sides of us. The guy closest to me reaches into his back pocket pulls out a brass buck knife and seconds later has me backed up to a car with the knife point digging into my appendix. I'm wondering if this will be quick, or will there be some drama involved. If I try to grab the knife, will it create more trouble? I look right into his grey glassy eyes. He's a white guy about 34, and has the look of a chained dog about to attack. He'll cut me open just because he can. I'm wondering if I can remember how to make some little aikido move, break his wrist, and gouge his eye out. Would these other guys run away, or would I be ensuring my immediate death. I say in a whisper, "Hold on just a sec, man. We can figure this out. We just got off the plane, there's not much on us..." Then I see three guys cornering Irene, and I'm thinking this is very very bad. I can't run, I can't protect Irene, and there is no bargaining in this kind of situation. We just have to see where it will lead...then I wake up.

Category: Dreams