The L To Bedford Ave

    "You got some money on you...?"  It was much less a request than a demand.  It's 2am on Monday night in the middle of July and the L train was almost empty.  This car was, in fact, empty, save myself and this young caucasian guy in the corner of the train who I then realized was holding something on his lap.  He looked like he was in his late 20's, eastern European, maybe Polish.  I may have actually found another car to ride on had I looked up when I got in the car.  A couple of beers at the bar after work seemed to erase the fact that riding in a subway car with this guy was a sketchy proposition.  "Wh...why do you ask?"  I tried to sound tough but the words came out more like a baby bird peeping for food.  He stood up and walked up to me, sitting next to me in the car.  "Cuz I need some money..." At that point he pulls up his shirt to reveal to me that he had a blade.  Not the longest blade I've seen in my life was my first thought as I stared at the blade, but he says something that stops my line of thinking.  "You see, I don't want to stick you with this, but if I don't get some money from you I'm gonna hurt you...It's a matter of principle."  So he's well spoken, AND he has a knife, AND I've had two beers (Maybe three).  All of a sudden I don't feel real comfortable jumping up and launching a counter-attack on this guy who could cause me bloodshed.

    Right now we are moving slowly between 1st Ave in Manhattan and Bedford Ave in Brooklyn.  We have almost three minutes before the train doors open again, so for the moment I'm stuck.  "I...I don't have a lot of money, man."  I'm trying to stall for time, waiting for anything.  "Take your money out of your pocket right now and let's see what you've got" he says, edging the blade closer to my gut.

    All of a sudden he and I turned to the car door at the end of the train as it opened up and a man stepped in to the car and began to walk with great determination toward the two of us.  My eyes grew wide.  This guy just walked in from the end of the train.  Was he the conductor?  Is there a conductor on these trains?  He doesn't look like and transit employee I've ever seen.

    "You never learn, do you Mr Bond?  You have an implant IN YOUR BODY.  I know where you go and what you're doing at all times.  I know when you get back on the train."  Mr Bond's blade immediately came up towards my neck until a spasm went through his arm and up to his hand, knocking the blade into my lap.  The mugger jumped out of the seat next to me.  "You can't do this to me!  I have rights..." he trailed off.  "Rights are a priviledge Mr.Bond.  They are given to those who are deserving.  We've talked about all of this...and you are showing me more and more that you're not so deserving.  You were told to stay off public transit, and not to rob.  We even gave you a job doing deliveries, but you didn't show.  Maybe the next phase of rehab will work for you."

    At this point he jumped back and ran towards the door.  Not even a, a nod from this...transit cop?  And the thief hit the floor unconcious.  At this point I realized that my mouth had been open.  I closed my mouth and looked at the man standing in the middle of the train who seemed for a moment to forget about me.  Dark blue jumpsuit, relatively nondescript looks.  He had a series of numbers stitched in on both shoulders which looked like he was identifiable from above.  On closer look at the jumpsuit it seemed, I don't know...padded?  It was like there was something underneath the cloth.  And of course the belt.  I wouldn't say a utility belt exactly, but smal camouflaged buttons protruded out, a small keyboard, and what looked like pockets lined the belt.  I didn't see a gun, and may have passed for a maintenance man had it not been for the glowing right thumb.  All of a sudden he glanced over at me.

    "Are you all right?" he asked.  "Wh...what the hell?  What are you?"  "Transit Police" he said.  "This man has been caught twice before terrorizing people on this line.  Don't worry, you won't see him again."  He pushed a single button on the right side of his belt and the train began to slow to a stop.  Another button on the right and the far door re-opened.  He picked up Mr. Bond with one hand and walked out into what seemed like pitch black.  "Have a good night, Mr Pell" is the last thing he said to me before the door closed behind him.  "How do you know my n...?" The train suddenly jolted forward again toward Brooklyn, and I've never felt more sober in my life.