An Ordinary Day

An Ordinary Day

He left the house at precisely 7:00 A.M., double locking the door behind him as usual. Walking the seven blocks to the nearest bus stop, he greeted Mrs. Vandermeer with a tip of his hat like he did every morning as she toiled in her rose garden. Mrs. Vandermeer returned his greeting with a slight nod and tilt of her upturned nose as was her usual response. He waved a cheery greeting to old Mr. Green sitting on his front stoop as he strode by, returned not at all, as was Mr. Green’s usual rejoinder.

By 7:45 A.M. he was serenely sitting on the bench; reading the morning paper, awaiting the arrival of the 7:55 cross town bus. Well dressed in his blue suit and red tie, his usual Wednesday attire, he was a slight man, his face was thin and his thick framed glasses lent him a scholarly air, suggesting perhaps a high school science teacher.

With it’s arrival, he joined the small group filing onto the bus, taking the third seat on the left side as usual. Opening the paper he continued reading the headline story that had caught his eye, until the tenth stop where he descended at the entrance to the city zoo. Tucking the paper under his arm, he walked four blocks until he came to the slight depression in the hedgerow surrounding the sprawling outdoor park. With a quick glance both ways, he ascertained no witness’ and smoothly disappeared through the hedge.

Once on the other side of the hedge, he looked around carefully. Opening the briefcase again, he took out the groundskeepers coveralls, methodically he removed his coat and hat, placing them inside the briefcase and pulled the coveralls on. Retrieving the bag of tools from his hiding spot deep inside the hedge, he replaced them with the briefcase.

Looking around once more, he threw the newspaper into the nearest trash bin where it fell open to the lurid story about the latest rape and murder, while he strolled serenely off in search of prey.