Page 62 - Contrast1988Spring

coffee, the wait had begun. Her wait had little to do with the
lesson the academic had tried to teach her earlier that day. She
was not waiting for her beard and business suit mask to grow
over her ...now criminal body. She was actually waiting to be
caught. She, unwittingly, was taking the academic's argument
one step farther. If the

avoidance of mystery was the intelligent criminal's objective,
then the intelligent criminal should actually allow himself to be
labeled guilty. And be apprehended. She glanced back at the
young aerobic instructor-philosopher. "WE RECOMMEND
THAT YOU TAKE A FUCKING BATH. YOUR ENEMY
COULD SMELL YOU A MILE AWAY." This show sickened
her. She moved

closer to the TV to get a better look. "WE RECOMMEND
THAT YOU ABANDON YOUR
BULLS HIT ATTITUDE THAT YOU HAVE ANY
AWARENESS OF OUR - -" the aerobic instructor's voice
was interrupted by a knock at the door. She knew now, the
wait would be short.

The knock came again, a series of three succinct raps on
the varnished wood of the door, followed by an expectant
silence. She left the TV to confront whoever had dared climb
her beloved porchsteps. She opened the door and was greeted
by the smile of a tall man wearing the uniform of a tired police
officer. Though he was middle-aged, he looked ancient. Older
than the academic or the aerobic instructor or anybody else she
had seen that day. She began to wonder where they kept
people over 40 years of age these days. But she was a sensible
sort, she never worried long about such things, so she turned
her attention to the tall gentleman smiling before her. He began
his address. "GOOD EVENING, MADAM. I HAVE COME
TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU HA VE VIOLATED ONE OF
OUR FAIR CITY'S ORDINANCES PROHIBITING THE
VIOLATION OF THE RULES." His smile disappeared as his
face took on a look of bemused wonder. She took his
expression as saying "gee, you know, we've got so many
these days, I've forgotten exactly which ordinance you
violated." He held this look for only a second, then he
straightened his official smile and continued his address. "A

58 Contrast Spring 1988